Kobe Bryant's deal to play in Italy hits a snag

ROME - The president of Virtus Bologna is optimistic Kobe Bryant will sign with the Italian club during the NBA lockout despite scheduling problems posed by other teams.

Claudio Sabatini told The Associated Press on Friday that Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka agreed to an arrangement for 35 to 40 days worth more than $3 million — for about 10 games.

"We're very confident the deal can be completed," Sabatini said. "We're prepared to make a big investment."

Sabatini said a Bologna-based food company is prepared to provide the cash.

"Kobe and his agent have been very professional throughout the dealings and it's been a pleasure to work with them," Sabatini said. "I have a huge amount of respect for Kobe not just as a player, but also as a person."

Bologna has requested to play five of its opening 10 games at home, but a few other teams don't want to change their schedules to accommodate the Los Angeles Lakers' star.

"I think good sense will prevail," Sabatini said.

His upbeat outlook contrasted with a statement on his club's website earlier in the day.

"With great surprise, Virtus Basketball notes that, due to the negative view of some clubs, it's not possible to go forward with the 10-game agreement, therefore putting in serious doubt the economic deal behind the plan to bring Kobe Bryant to Italy," the statement said.

Cremona and Varese, two smaller clubs, are refusing to alter their schedules.

"We've got a chance to bring Bryant here ... and the nearsightedness of other clubs is making it impossible," Sabatini told Italy's Sky TV earlier. "If we were at the end of the season, with clubs fighting to avoid relegation or for the playoffs, I would understand. But now nobody has anything on the line."

Bryant, who spent much of his childhood in Italy, was in the country for sponsor appearances the past two days. He was to be in New York for NBA labor talks Friday.

Virtus had been set to open the season Oct. 9 against Roma, but schedules need to be reworked after Venezia was added to the league as a 17th team. Sabatini wants to create a special schedule that assigns Bryant's games to Italy's biggest arenas.

The deal would allow Bryant to return to the Lakers immediately if the lockout ends. The 33-year-old Bryant has three years and $83.5 million left on his contract with the Lakers, who could void the deal if Bryant is injured playing abroad.

Bologna would need to have the deal signed by the end of next week to register Bryant with the Italian league before the season starts.

Before the scheduling issues arose, Sabatini had said Bryant was expected to get a work visa and return to Italy next week.

"Kobe should be in Bologna by Wednesday or Thursday with his visa in hand for medical visits and then we can deposit the contract with the league," Sabatini told a local radio station. "I want to make clear that right now there are still no signatures. We've got to write the contract, which will then be read over and over again."

Between ages 6 and 13, Bryant lived in Italy when his father Joe Bryant played with Rieti, Reggio Calabria, Pistoia and Reggiana from 1984-91. The elder Bryant also once owned a small part of Olimpia Milano. He now coaches the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA.

Kobe Bryant, who still speaks Italian well, discussed his memories of his time in the country during an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport two days ago.

"Italy is my home. It's where my dream of playing in the NBA started. This is where I learned the fundamentals, learned to shoot, to pass and to (move) without the ball," Bryant told the Italian newspaper. "All things that when I came back to America the players my age didn't know how to do because they were only thinking about jumping and dunking."

Bryant added that playing in Italy would be "a dream for me." (See video below).

Bryant has been bothered in recent seasons by an arthritic joint in his right knee that required several minor operations. He sat out most of the Lakers' practices last season, and his scoring, shooting percentage and minutes decreased in his 15th NBA season.

Former USC guard Daniel Hackett, a dual citizen who plays for Pesaro in Italy, knows how he would play Bryant if he faced the former NBA MVP.

"The only way to stop a player that good is with a hard foul and he knows that," Hackett said. "I've got five fouls to commit and they're going to be the hardest five fouls I've ever committed."

Hackett also criticized speculation that Bologna will ask opposing clubs hosting Bryant's away games to chip in a portion of ticket sales to help pay Bryant's salary.

"I really hope Kobe doesn't lower himself to this level for economic and commercial motives," Hackett said, according to the Gazzetta.

The NBA season is scheduled to open Nov. 1 but owners and players have failed to agree on a new labor deal. The sides are at odds over how to divide the league's revenue, a salary cap structure and the length of guaranteed contracts. Last week, the NBA postponed training camps and canceled 43 preseason games.

Virtus has won 15 Italian league titles but none since 2001, when it also won the Euroleague for the second time.

Bologna did not qualify for this season's Euroleague. The team has big ambitions, though, after signing former Clemson point guard Terrell McIntyre, who led Siena to four consecutive Italian titles before transferring to Malaga in Spain before last season.