#EuroleagueLockin Day 16: We Are Kobe Airlines. We Are Turkishly Yours.



By: Nick Gibson / @euro_adventures

NBA players are about as original as they come. Just look no further than Dwyane Wade’s marvelously decorative under-eye bandages which were nothing at all like the ones Nelly used to rock while stomping in his Urr Force Ones.

So I don’t find it surprising that when Deron Williams opened the floodgates, the current of NBA talent would flow D-Will’s way. Among those caught in the undertow: Kobe Bryant. Besiktas’ Head Coach Ergin Ataman has insisted for weeks now that The Black Mamba might slither his way into Turkey alongside D-Will (and let’s not forget about Zaza Pachulia), but the lack of a lucrative sponsorship threatened to keep Besiktas Kobe-less. Kobe’s other option seems to be China, where he’s surpassed recently retired Yao as the country’s most popular hooper, ensuring his All-Star starter status until 2043 at the very least. Boy, do I love fan voting.

Now the question is, where are we going to find a Turkish company with an interest both in Kobe Bryant and basketball sponsorship? After a thorough brain racking, I’ve got nothing.