Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Kobe Bryant still interested in playing overseas: NBA News
After the talks between the Turkish basketball club Besiktas and Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Kobe Bryant broke down over the financial issues, the hype surrounding the overseas venture of arguably the best player in the league
died down drastically and it was fast becoming a common notion that Kobe will not pursue the matter further.
However, Kobe wiped out all such rumours, when he recently revealed his uncertainty about the beginning of the next National Basketball Association regular-season and reiterated that he will go abroad if a feasible opportunity
arises.
Speaking on the side-lines of a youth basketball clinic that was held in Singapore on Saturday, Bryant said,
"I could. I'm playing abroad right now."
The Lakers star however did not divulge into the details.
The NBA Lockout has forced many players to pursue opportunities aboard, be it in Europe, Israel or China. New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams was the trendsetter in that aspect after he signed a one year deal with Besiktas.
At the time of that deal Besiktas coach Ergin Ataman said that his club is also looking to drag star players like Kobe and the matter seemed on track with Besiktas looking to get Kobe in their roster with the help of few sponsors.
However, after nearly a month of speculations, the talks reached a dead end. Immediately afterwards, Kobe was linked to a few Chinese outfit, but these rumours also died down when the Chinese Basketball Association passed a ruling
against the escape clause in the NBA player’s contract willing to play in China.
All that aside, there is also a possibility that Kobe might just be making noise to again put pressure on the NBA owners. NBA is the home of some of the best basketball players in the world and Kobe is as good as they come. The
fan base and the TV rating of the league sore when players like the Kobe or the ones close to his stature bring their wits on the court and if NBA loses them to another league, it might cause them a huge loss.
However, that is just a conspiracy theory, like many others, which have emerged during the lockout and apparently it seems that Kobe is serious about playing abroad during the Lockout.
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