Kobe Bryant to Italy Rumors: What This Could Mean for NBA's Top Superstar

The Kobe Bryant to Italy rumors have been churning in full effect during the NBA lockout.

After the two sides had exchanged proposals over the last few weeks, news broke that that the Los Angeles Lakers' star has reached an agreement in principle to join Virtus Bologna.

Although other players have gone abroad during the extended work stoppage, there has been nobody of Bryant's magnitude who has agreed to a contract overseas.

There are still some kinks to work out for Bryant, who has three years and approximately $83 million left on his contract with the Lakers, but it's clear that the opportunity to play in Italy seriously appeals to Bryant.

How Much Money Would Bryant Make?

Virtus Bologna had swapped a series of proposals with Bryant in recent weeks.

Bryant had been offered a contract for approximately $800,000 over a three-game span, but he didn't seem inclined to agree to that deal.

The superstar was angling for a one-year contract with an out clause to return to the NBA, so Virtus Bologna offered a one-year, $6.7 million contract.

For a counter proposal, Bryant reportedly felt that $15 million would be an appropriate salary for his services.

Owner of Virtus Bologna Claudio Sabatini countered with a one-month, $2.5 million proposal, and now the two sides have agreed in principle on a contract for 10 games worth $3 million.

Bloomberg News has confirmed that Bryant is expected to sign his deal on October 5, following the upcoming labor negotiations between NBA players and owners.

How Long Would He Be There?

If Bryant signs on the dotted line with Virtus Bologna, his contract would be for 10 games over a 40-day span.

The contract would begin at the onset of the Italian League's season, and according to the Associated Press, Bryant is expected to get a work visa next week.

Owner Claudio Sabatini offered the following details:

"

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, 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.

"

Bryant's Teammates

Bryant's most notable teammate with Virtus Bologna would be fellow NBA player Chris Douglas-Roberts.

The swingman signed a one-year contract with the team (with no out clause) earlier in the offseason, and as an unrestricted free agent, he didn't need FIBA's clearance to sign abroad.

A current roster for Virtus Bologna (via EuroBasket.com) includes:

Terrell McIntyre, Jared Homan, Peterri Koponen, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Viktor Sanikidze, Giuseppe Poeta, Jonathan Person, Viktor Gaddefors, Deividas Gailius, Michele Vitali, Francesco Quaglia, Angelo Gigli, Riccardo Moraschini and Nicolo Martinoni.

Other NBA Players Bryant Could Face

In Lega Basket Serie A, Virtus Bologna is joined by a plethora of other squads.

Some of the more notable teams include Montepaschi Siena, Benetton Treviso and Dinamo Sassari.

Montepaschi Siena has signed DaJuan Summers and David Anderson, Benetton Treviso has got Brian Scalabrine and Donatas Motiejunas and Dinamo Sassari has Keith Benson (2011 second-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks) currently suiting up for the squad.

These are just some of the names that Bryant could potentially go head-to-head against.

Coach of Virtus Bologna

Head Coach: Alessandro Finelli

Team Managers: Luigi Terrieri, Fabio Ceneri

Manager: Massimo Faraoni

Assistants: Christian Fedrigo, Marco Sodini

Coach Juvenile: Marco Sanguettoli

Vice President: Alberto Marchesini

President & Owner: Claudio Sabatini

How Many Minutes Would He Play?

While there's no precise way to pinpoint how much Bryant would play on a game-by-game basis, there's little doubt he'd be a prominent part of the offense.

Virtus Bologna has been in hot pursuit of Bryant throughout the NBA's work stoppage, and there's no doubt that the team will make him a sizable part of the attack.

He'd provide for an extraordinarily dynamic element.

How Many Points Would He Score?

Bryant's Italian adventures would obviously come with serious hype, and there's no doubt that he's going to be looking to put on a show for his fans assuming he takes the court.

His scoring prowess has been evident for an extremely long time, and there's every reason to believe that Virtus Bologna would make that an essential part of the approach on a regular basis.

How Fans Would React

Virtus Bologna Fans: Bryant has called Italy is home on several occasions, and fans would undoubtedly welcome him with open arms.

The fans absolutely love him, and he's been nothing but appreciative in sending that gratitude right back to the fans, as evidenced by his recent comments and agreement in principle to play in Italy.

Los Angeles Lakers Fans: Fans of the team are likely going to oppose the move, and it's not hard to see why that's the case.

Bryant has an abundance of money left on his current contract with the team, and his chronic knee woes have been well-documented.

While there is an injury risk (as there is with any player) if Bryant plans in Italy, fans should take faith in the fact that Bryant wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his chance to win a sixth NBA title.

How Opponents Would React

There's no doubt that opponents in Italy would be chomping at the bit to get their first cracks at the NBA's top dog.

Daniel Hackett, a former USC point guard, has already stated that he certainly wouldn't hold back against Bryant should he take the court in Italy.

"

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

"

It's near certain that other players echo his same sentiment.