Kobe Would Take $50 Million and Run
Last week the NBA and Cavalier fans were buzzing about reports that LeBron James would strongly consider playing in Europe for $50 million per season when he becomes a free agent in two years. However, LeBron may not be the only NBA superstar to make a jump to Europe, as The Boston Globe’s Marc J. Spears reports that even Kobe Bryant of the Lakers may be headed back to his roots in Italy.
“I’d go. I’d probably go,” said Bryant, during a USA Basketball press conference on Friday morning. “Like Milan or something like that, where I grew up or something like that … Peace out.”
Bryant continued: “Do you know any reasonable person that would turn down 50 (million dollars)?
Kobe headed to Italy isn’t as strange as it sounds, because he did spend a large part of his childhood growing up in Italy while his father, Joe, played professional basketball there. Kobe, who speaks fluent Italian, acquired a 50 percent ownership of the Olimpia Milano of the Italian Professional Basketball League back in 1999 so it appears as if he does have some interest in Italian hoops.
When asked about Italy, Kobe responded:
“Because I grew up in Italy it has more significance to me because I’m more familiar with it, I’ve been there and I still have friends there,” said Bryant, a three-time NBA champion. “I’m thinking about buying a house out there. It would be nothing to me to be able to do that.”
When Kobe mentioned that he grew up in Italy, has friends there, and is thinking about buying a home there, it seems to indicate that he is at least having thought about the idea.
While LeBron would be 25 at the date of his proposed exit, Kobe will be past his prime at age 31, with at least three and maybe even four championships. His MVP 2007-08 campaign cemented his legacy as one of the league’s greatest players of all-time, and other than a Shaq-less title he has little left to prove as an NBA player. So in a way it makes sense for Kobe to move on to another challenge by playing in Italy.
However, this is completely different scenario than what faces LeBron, who has yet to win an MVP trophy or a championship ring. He still has a shot to eclipse Jordan as the American basketball icon, but that would be near impossible to continue if he was playing for Russia CSKA Moscow and Greece Olympiacos.
While I got the feeling that NBA was deeply concerned about the prospects of losing its Golden Child in LeBron to Europe, it likely wouldn’t get too upset if Kobe was the first on the boat east. Losing both star players would be murder for the NBA, but the league is much more tied to LeBron’s star than it is Kobe. In fact, since Kobe’s episode in Eagle, Colorado, he has rarely been featured in the NBA’s commercials or other marketing ventures. LeBron, not Kobe, has been the one promoted by the NBA and dubbed the next MJ. While Laker fans might be a little upset by Kobe’s potential departure to Italy, the NBA might not be to bothered by it in the first place.
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