With talks between the NBPA and NBA owners breaking down yet again with no new deal in place to get the upcoming NBA season started, the league will announce the cancellation of two more weeks of the regular season. Even though this is more bad news for NBA fans and players, there is something to look forward to in the near future with some of the NBA's best and brightest embarking on a six-game world tour on four different continents.
Reportedly, Atlanta businessman Calvin Darden has been planning this NBA world tour over the last three months. Darden has assembled some of the top talent in the NBA to play on this six-game tour with 14 out of the 18 players interested in playing in this NBA world tour having already committed and signed deals worth up to a $1 million dollars. Amongst the 18 players that will go on this NBA world tour is none other than Los Angeles Lakers superstar and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant.
Along with Kobe Bryant, here are the other players that will be contractually obligated or are still considering playing on this world tour of NBA All-Stars:
LeBron James, Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks
Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
There are still a few players complating playing on this NBA world tour like Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics) and Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks) amongst others.
The tour will get underway on Sunday, Oct. 30 in Puerto Rico then the tour will shift to London for two games, one in Macau (China) and then two back-to-back games in Australia ending on Nov. 9. There are no details about whether or not these six games will be televised in the United States, but chances are there will be a network or two that will try to make it happen.
Calvin Darden hopes these games will get broadcast in as many international markets as possible and perhaps the U.S. as well.
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