Kobe Would Play In Russia For Right Price


Aug 04, 2008 8:09 AM EST
Kobe Bryant admitted over the weekend that he would consider leaving the NBA for Russia if a sizable contract could be arranged, according to The Sport Express Daily.

"Of course," Bryant said when asked if he'd consider playing overseas. "By the way, are you the owner of a Russian team? It can be arranged for $40 million per year."

A number of NBA players have left the NBA for Europe this offseason, in a somewhat surprising turn of events. It's highly doubtful that Bryant would ever actually sign with a Russian team, but anything could become possible for the right price.

It seems as though everyone wants a piece of Kobe though.

"I would love Kobe to come to Duke University to play for me," added Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski. "I can't offer him that kind of salary, but he would receive a university diploma instead."

Lebron James also gushed about his time overseas, I believe in China, last year I believe in one of those NBA clinics.....

What if Lebron decides to go off on his own? He wants to be a global brand.......He has the balls to seriously do it too......I can see a team giving him an epic size contract to get him.

Stay tuned.

Posted by Cookdcokehop:

40Million Euros per year on say a 5 year contract. Think about it. That is equivalent to $800 Million U.S.. Just change his name to Corporation Kobe.

Haha somethings wrong with your math.

1. He's quoted in USD.

2. Even if it were euros.. 40 euros * 5 years * 2 (generous exchange rate.. really should be like 1.65) = 400.

Which isn't 800 million at all.

And what he'd really get is $=200 million USD over 5 years.

[Edited by - metra on 08-04-2008 12:56 PM]

Posted by Cookdcokehop:

40Million Euros per year on say a 5 year contract. Think about it. That is equivalent to $800 Million U.S.. Just change his name to Corporation Kobe.

40mm euros today is worth 54.4mm. The bottom is in on the dollar so your long term bet isnt a great one either.

Posted by Panos:

At that point its monopoly money. Makes no difference on your quality of life.
The point you have to consider is if you'd rather live in Russia (which I would not)
or here.

Now if it was Spain, Italy or Greece: SIGN ME UP!

Posted by arkrud:

Posted by Panos:

At that point its monopoly money. Makes no difference on your quality of life.
The point you have to consider is if you'd rather live in Russia (which I would not)
or here.

You know nothing man...
With this money in Moscow you are more that Saudi prince.
You can have all you want including all stuff which is illegal in US and nobody will give a dumm...
And the top Russian girls... without all this rape/no-rape crap.








[Edited by - arkrud on 08-05-2008 11:47 AM]

yeah man, them Russian girls are no joke.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by Cookdcokehop:

40Million Euros per year on say a 5 year contract. Think about it. That is equivalent to $800 Million U.S.. Just change his name to Corporation Kobe.

40mm euros today is worth 54.4mm. The bottom is in on the dollar so your long term bet isnt a great one either.

But blackcat called it $40 million (dollars) X's five is $200 million.

Russia??? Wow if they ever lost an important game, they'd be in trouble.

We would still get to watch his games on ESPN 8. Helps offset the cost of paying the salary for thes owners to allow ESPN to televise the games so companies here can still leverage LeBron in commercials and keep him relevant stateside.

this raises a few eyebrows nevertheless. note: the exchange rate is not correct

posted by ART THOMPSON III, OCREGISTER.COM

It all began with an off-hand remark by LeBron James that if some European team wished to pay him $50 million for a season, he would bolt the NBA for a year, when he becomes a free agent, two summers from now.

That prompted reporters tailing Team USA’s basketball team to ask Lakers star Kobe Bryant if he’d consider playing in Europe and the Kobester said that yes indeed, for $40 he’d play in Europe, and more specifically Italy, where he spent much of his youth, while his father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant finished up his professional playing career.

Bryant has an early escape clause in his contract, allowing him to declare for free agency next summer.

All this speculation and rumor hatching arose because this summer nine players, with NBA experience, have signed contracts to play with European teams. Two players, Josh Childress and Earl Boykins, never have played on a European professional team and don’t possess international passports.

Bryant also reportedly told a Russian reporter that if a check is cut, he’ll bring over his Nikes.”

Now, let’s be real here.

European teams don’t come anywhere close to reaping the advertising dollars that NBA teams get. European teams don’t have the dollars pouring in from a national network television contract, like NBA teams do. European teams play fewer than 40 games per season, compared to the 82-game regular-season that the NBA plays.

CSKA Moscow had the Russian League maximum of two Americans on its team this past season - Terence Morris and Trajan Langdon - both of whom would have difficulty making any NBA team.

Want proof? Langdon was cut by the Clippers in training camp in 2004.

The demise of the US dollar now equates to $50 million equaling 17 million Euros. Unless the rest of the team is going to be paid in McDonald’s coupons, I’d find it impossible to believe that any European team would pay LeBron or Kobe $40-50 million for one season.