Earlier this month, NJ Nets PG Deron Williams became the first NBA player to officially play a game overseas during the Lockout, winning his debut with Turkish team Beskitas nearly a week ago.
Many fans in Europe were already calling Williams the biggest NBA star to ever suit up for a game overseas. But Italian club Virtus Bologna is hoping to make an even bigger splash by offering Lakers star Kobe Bryant a reported $6.7 million for one season, with an out clause to return to America whenever the lockout is over.
Virtus Bologna is obviously hoping to appeal to Kobe’s found memories as a youth traveling with his father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, who played professional basketball in Italy for 4 teams between ’84-’91. Bryant has stated in the past that this was the initial time when a young Kobe first learned to love the game of basketball. The elder Bryant now is the current coach of the WNBA’s LA Sparks.
Deron Williams’ Turkish club Beskitas, one unspecified Chinese team, and Virtus Bologna have all expressed interest in signing the 5 time NBA Champion and 13 time All Star. The latest $6.7 million offer is the 3rd different high priced offer on the table for Bryant with the numbers breaking down to an average of more than $739,000 per home game.
Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari rejoined his former Italian club Olimpia Milano early last week and Spurs guard Manu Ginobili flirted with returning to Virtus Bologna, with whom he played for prior to joining the Spurs, before deciding on remaining in America during the Lockout.
Energy giant Canadian Solar would be the primary sponsor for the rather large offer to Bryant with Bologna management probably having to secure a huge insurance policy to legally be able to sign Bryant to the milt-million dollar deal.
If the deal is to happen, Kobe and his agent will have to work quick as Virtus Bologna’s regular season begins October 9th. Bryant is scheduled to be in Italy this week on a promotional tour for Nike. Could he return being the highest paid player in Europe?
Check out one of Kobe’s first Adidas commercials from Italy:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, and The Cleveland Plains Dealer, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
