Besiktas go cold over Kobe Bryant pursuit – NBA Update
In the wake of the NBA lockout, Turkish club Besiktas had been strongly linked with a move for the Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. However, recent reports now suggest that their interest has rather cooled down, at least
for the moment.
Besiktas have already pulled off the biggest coup in terms of attracting NBA stars overseas with their signing of All Star point guard Deron Williams. Williams, who is contracted to the New Jersey Nets, has confirmed the agreement
to join the Turkish club and is believed to be looking forward to the challenge of playing abroad.
Negotiations with Kobe Bryant have stalled due to a match fixing scandal which has ravaged Turkish football. Like many clubs in Europe, Besiktas has football and basketball teams and it’s the football side has been hit hard by
the match fixing scandal.
According to some reports, authorities have gone as far as to freeze bank accounts of the club, which was already struggling to meet Kobe Bryant’s wage demands. According to sources familiar with negotiations between Besiktas and
Kobe’s representatives, the club was willing to pay $500,000 per month to acquire the services of the NBA super star. However, the Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard is believed to be holding out for $1 million a month.
That is a significant amount of money which is seemingly out of reach for the club. The deal they agreed with Deron Williams is worth $5 million overall and Kobe’s demands far exceed that. It is presumed that Besiktas are now inviting
sponsors and investors to chip in so that Kobe Bryant can be brought to Turkish shores.
Bryan is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, stars in the basketball world and has mass appeal around the globe. Kobe is also believed to be open to a move to China where he is the most marketable NBA asset and would have no
problem making some hard cash.
However, his appeal is strong in Europe as well and the player has an endorsement deal with Turkish Airlines. Rumours are afloat that the Airline could intervene in some capacity to try and lure Kobe Bryant to Besiktas or some
other Turkish club.
The five time NBA World Champion has come out to say that he is prepared to go and play overseas. However, his comments were largely seen as a measure to put some pressure on the NBA in the current Labour dispute that has caused
a lockout of the league.
With reports of Kobe negotiating with foreign teams now beginning to surface, there could be a lot of merit in his earlier claims and we might get to see the Lakers star in Europe very soon.
Any deal that Kobe Bryant will sign would have a get out clause in case play resumes in the NBA.
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