If Besiktas Cola Turka ends up running with the only NBA players on their squad for 2010-11 as Deron Williams and Zaza Pachulia in the wake of the NBA lockout, their fans can blame soccer.
Turkey-based NTV Spor, the sports news outlet which first broke the story of Besiktas’ contract offer to Williams, is today reporting that the signing of Bryant by the Eurocup club will be put on hold thanks to a scandal in the country’s football league. ESPN Los Angeles reports today that the match-fixing scandal will force Besiktas to look elsewhere for funding any new big-deal contracts due to penalties to be assessed to the club, one of a few cited in the case.
In speaking to reporters, after a meeting with UEFA officials, Turkey Football Federation deputy chairman Arıboğan Lutfi said that the possible punishment for the Besiktas sports club would be decided upon soon.
Bryant was reportedly offered a whopping $500,000 per month to play for Allen Iverson’s former team, and the Mamba in turn was asking for an even more whopping $1 million for his services.
