With the NBA in lockout limbo its getting more and more difficult to know what is a real story and what is a piece of sheer boredom.
Take all of the rumors of Kobe Bryant entertaining overseas offers for example.
With each passing week and new rumor bubbles to the surface only to later be swept under the rug.
Initially it was assumed that Mamba was mulling over a move to join Deron Williams in Turkey. That was until Kobe crushed that rumor like LeBron did to the spirit of Cleveland. Not only did Bryant blow those contract talks out of the water, there was even intimation that Kobe wanted twice what Besiktas was offering.
Now we’ve got another Euro rumor making the rounds as Italian club Virtus Bologna is said to be pursuing the world’s most recognized baller. Unlike Besiktas, Virtus was said to have put several offers on the table all of which included a nice payout.
Well…nice for you and me. Not for Bryant.
Apparently Bryant again has scoffed at another European offer. And once again he’s said to be asking for twice as much.
Virtus Bologna put nearly $7-million on the table and Bryant or his representation or whoever responded with a demand of $15-million…according to reports.
Now whether or not the details are accurate is irrelevant. What we do know for sure is that Bryant wants to ball in the NBA and nowhere else, at least at this juncture in his career.
Chasing the Celtics for the most team titles in league history is high on Kobe’s priority list. So too is the task of catching and possibly passing MJ in ring count.
Beyond the NBA legacy, it’s also obvious that Bryant isn’t willing to play in Europe for the simple sake of playing. He wants to make it worth his while. Can’t blame the guy. Besides, I think we all know where, if anywhere, Kobe would like to play if he’s going to venture outside the U.S. of A. Too bad for Bryant that the Chinese Basketball Association isn’t offering deals with NBA opt-out clauses. Otherwise my man would be on the first flight to China yesterday.