Kobe Bryant might be in Italy next season after all.
Bryant, who reportedly (jokingly?) has said he would entertain offers from Italian teams when he becomes a free agent, said he isn’t coming home without the Olympic gold medal.
“People ask me and I joke around a lot, but if we want to remain U.S. citizens we got to win gold,” the Los Angeles Lakers guard told Reuters on Friday.
“I’ll be an Italian. You’ll be calling me Kobe Giovani, you know what I mean?!”
Again, the Kobester was JOKING!
The Americans are among the favorites for gold at the Beijing Games after failing in Athens four years ago when they finished third.
Team USA teammate Carmelo Anthony also had his escape plans just in case.
“I’m going to ship my clothes somewhere else, man,” Anthony said. “I’m going to negotiate a contract with another team somewhere — I ain’t going back!
Anthony might not be joking. He was a member of the ‘04 team that settled for bronze at Athens and again took home a bronze medal at the ‘06 World Championships.
