Lakers G Kobe Bryant has purchased a 50% stake in
Italian basketball team Olimpia Milano, "one of the top
teams in Europe," according to Tim Kawakami of the L.A.
TIMES, who writes that Bryant followed the team "closely"
when he lived in Italy until '92 and his father, Joe Bryant,
"was a star player there." Kawakami reports that Kobe
Bryant invested more than $1M in the team and Joe Bryant --
who "will spend at least two weeks every month" in Italy --
was named Exec VP. Kobe Bryant, on the deal: "It felt right
from the beginning" (L.A. TIMES, 12/14). The WALL STREET
JOURNAL's Sam Walker writes that the "deal represents one of
the larger investments on record by an active pro athlete in
team ownership," and signifies a "new reality in sports
marketing" where today's "young athletes are looking for
deals and investments that will include them in most
business decisions." Kobe Bryant said that the Milano deal
will also give him "access to a global market that could
help him make new" deals and endorsements. Kobe Bryant:
"You always have to plan ahead." Walker notes that Kobe
Bryant is fluent in Italian (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/14).
KOBE'S BOOK-END? In L.A., Karen Crouse writes on author
Roland Lazenby's new book called, "Mad Game, The NBA
Education Of Kobe Bryant." Lazenby cites an unnamed ex-
Lakers employee as a source in the book who "unleashes
enough vitriol to poison popular opinion on Bryant page
after page." The source "complains" Bryant "has this
attitude: You may be Shaquille O'Neal but I'm Kobe Bryant.
I'm every bit the player you are plus some." Bryant, on the
book: "Now you see what I have to put up with." Lazenby, on
his source: "It's not a made-up person. My source is a very
real person who was reflecting an attitude that was
prevalent in the organization" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 12/14).
