Kobe Takes Turkey?

If I were part of the Lakers’ brass or a member of Kobe Bryant’s camp, I would not be too excited about the star’s seemingly increasing interest in taking his talents to Turkey.  Although I understand the drive and desire not to miss extended time that could be spent on a competitive court, especially towards the twilight of such a storied career, for a battled and banged-up Bryant, my top recommendation would be rest.  For a man who has logged more than 40,000 minutes of regular season basketball over the past thirteen seasons, not to mention the plethora of deep playoff runs (7 Finals), and Olympic appearances, it seems as though he should be embracing the NBA-imposed break from action. 

This lockout allows players such as Bryant who have been balling throughout the calendar, year after year, a legitimate time to rest and recuperate without missing any actual action or being antagonized.

Of course Kobe wants to continue to play and stay in prime performing condition, but that can be accomplished without shipping himself overseas for a season, risking further damage and deterioration to his aging frame, which he will be looking to maximize in his coming closing seasons.  He could hit the gym hard, fine tune/tinker with his game without worrying about the wear-and-tear of the regular season grind; sounds pretty ideal for an aging superstar trying to remain atop the game.

Since money isn’t an issue for the star, I’m perplexed as to why his people aren’t pushing him to stay stateside during the stoppage, as the influx of income appears to be the only possible perk for someone of Kobe’s stature.  Unlike many of his younger peers who have far fewer miles on their NBA odometers, and are much less distinguished and accomplished worldwide, for whom such a trip overseas might make a lot of sense, it does not seem that Kobe has much to gain/prove/accomplish by taking a trip to Turkey.  It’s not like he needs a Turkish Title to solidify his career, nor does he need the small-scale contract to sustain him until the NBA reopens its doors. 

Kobe has obviously earned the right to control any sort of career decision, and it is certain that he will approach any endeavor with the same excellence and precision that has gotten him to this point; that is not to be disputed.  The decision to jump onto a Turkish team and jeopardize the conclusion of one of the NBA’s most memorable and successful careers however, is up for debate.

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