- Text
Report: Italian team offers Kobe $600K (per game)
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, center, reacts during a basketball clinic on Saturday Sept. 17, 2011 in Singapore. Bryant says he's still considering playing overseas as an owners' lockout of players threatens to sabotage the upcoming NBA season.
(Credit: AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)Let's do some math.
Under the terms of his current contract, Kobe Bryant is poised to make over $25 million for the Lakers this season (if there is a season, of course). Divide that by 82 games and that's a little more than $300,000 per game. Not bad.
But as the NBA lockout drags on, many antsy players have been wooed by deep-pocketed teams overseas and Bryant is no exception. Now, according to BolognaBasket.it, Virtus Bologna has offered the Lakers superstar double what he currently makes: $600,000 per game. That's $12,500 per minute, or about $200 per second.
Ok, that equation doesn't take into account practice and travel and any other contractual obligations but you get the idea. Virtus, which is trying to ink a deal with Spurs' star Manu Ginobili and who recently signed Bucks forward Chris Douglas-Roberts, is clearly not shy about trying to poach big-time talent from the NBA as the season hangs in the balance.
NBA lockout defections: Fernandez to Madrid, Gallinari to Milan
Like other stars, Bryant has said he is open to playing overseas though he apparently declined an offer from Turkish club Besiktas (which signed Nets All-Star Deron Williams this summer).
But Virtus may be a better fit for the superstar for a few reasons: 1) Kobe wasn't too thrilled with how the hiring of new Lakers coach Mike Brown played out; 2) he spent several years in Italy as a child and speaks Italian fluently (see video below); and 3) did we mention he is being offered $600,000 per game?
If the report is true, this offer is certainly allettante. Which means "tempting" in Italian.
Just ask Kobe.
-
Stephen Smith Stephen Smith is a news producer and sports editor for CBSNews.com
- Who are highest paid athletes of all time?
- Jeremy Lin rookie card sells for $21K on eBay
- Ryan Braun: Vindicated or lucky?
- Dwayne Wade's Wife, Kids Suing His Girlfriend
- Jeremy Mayfield had meth, guns and $100k in stolen goods
- After $154M, Allen Iverson may be broke
- Watch: 7-foot-5 teen basketball player dominates
- Watch: Game ends with buzzer-beater and KO'd ref
- Unhappy birthday for Michael Jordan?
- 100-year-old finishes marathon, earns record
- NFL: The Patriots Cheated
- Jeremy Lin moves from couch to condo
- Porn star: MLB agent used me to recruit players
- Jeremy Lin headline writer: "I'm so sorry"
- Reggie Bush "stinks," teammate says
- Watch: Woman, 59, makes incredible hockey shot
- Ex-MLB pitcher: I did cocaine before most games
- NKorea's Kim issues threat before SKorea-US drills
- 2 rebels, 2 children killed in Philippine clash
- China brings supermarket concept to North Korea
- A wild online ride hits the digital piracy wall
on Facebook
- Santorum: Obama wants to 'indoctrinate' students by boosting college enrollment
- Adorable video of a sleeping hummingbird "snoring"
- Gingrich says Obama "surrendered" by apologizing to Afghans
- Our Farewell to Andy Rooney
on CBS News
