Virtus Bologna, the Italian basketball team, have reportedly offered Kobe Bryant a 6.7 million contract to play for them for the whole of next season. With the NBA almost certain to not go ahead or be severely delayed, Bologna think that Kobe Bryant will be tempted by this offer, as he grew up for some of his childhood in Italy.
I think that it would be absolutely phenomenal if European basketball managed to attract Kobe Bryant. Bologna will find their attendance will sky-rocket, sales of jerseys will go though the roof and chances are many Americans will come over to Europe and watch. 6,.7 million seems a lot, but there is almost a guarantee that Bologna will get it all back through the things I mentioned above.
Sure the Kobe Bryant of 2011 is not the Kobe of 2008/2009, but it's the next best thing to Lebron James in terms of having a basketball superstar, and it will really improve the reputation of European basketball as a whole.
Other basketball stars who are planning moves to Europe: Ron Artest will create a worldwide shock if the joins the Cheshire Jets, something he says will happen and Tony Parker is likely to make a return to the French league. So everything is looking rosy for European basketball. You can't say the same of the NBA.
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