Italian Basketball League Teams Pour Haterade On Kobe Bryant’s $3 Million “Make It Rain” Contract!

“Don’t do that bruh…”

ROME—Scheduling problems with other Italian clubs were threatening to derail plans for Kobe Bryant to play for Virtus Bologna during the NBA lockout.

Bologna President Claudio Sabatini had told an Italian radio station Friday the deal was “95 percent done,” and a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press that Bryant would be paid $3 million for the opening 40 days of the Italian league season — a period of about 10 games.

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

“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,” a statement on Bologna’s website said.

The person familiar with the negotiations said smaller clubs Cremona and Varese were refusing to alter their schedules. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were ongoing.

“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. “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.”