With the NBA lockout in full swing Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant might not be out a job even if the next NBA season is cancelled. According to reports Italian team Virtus Bologna has offers the NBA star a one-season $6.7 million contract.
Kobe’s own dad played in Italy for part of his career and Bryant spent his youth in the country, adding a bit of sentimentality to the offer.
According to Virtus Bologna general manager Massimo Faraoni he has been speaking to Bryant’s agent Rob Pelinka about the possibility of a Kobe Bryant led Italian team.
If Bryant doesn’t agree to a one year deal the team has also laid out two-month and even one-month contract options that would pay Bryant $739,640 per home game.
The team says the money is pretax and the contract would give Bryant the option to immediately return to the Lakers when the lockout ends.
The offer isn’t the first for Bryant outside of the NBA, China has also expressed interest as has Turkish club Besiktas.
With the lockout in full swing NBA players across the league have already expressed interest and some have even promised to take jobs outside of the NBA.
According to ESPN :
Nuggets free agents Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith plan to play in China; Denver’s Ty Lawson will play in Lithuania; and New Jersey Nets All-Star Deron Williams signed with Besiktas.
The ploy could be a big draw for Virtus who has won 15 Italia league titles but none since 2001.
Would you find a way to watch Kobe Bryant play if it was in a league other than the NBA?
