Last week we reported how some of the NBA stars during the Lockout was planning their own tour (Kobe Bryant & Lebron James Planning Worldwide Barnstorming Tour).
Those plans have been finalized, Kobe and the crew are on their way to make a few quick dollars while the NBA cancels more games.
Nearly two dozen of the NBA’s top stars will embark on a six-game, two-week, four-continent tour that begins Sunday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
The tour, dubbed the World All-Star Classic, was first reported last week by ESPN.com and has been in the works for the past three months, but terms and logistics are now finalized and an official announcement will be made by the tour’s organizers on Wednesday.
Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant will headline the roster of 18 all-star players, sources said.
The remaining 14 players will be announced Wednesday. LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Carlos Boozer, Tyson Chandler, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo and Chris Kaman are among the candidates.
The first game will be played Sunday, Oct. 30, in San Juan at Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum. Tickets for the game will go on sale in Puerto Rico Wednesday afternoon.
The next two games will be on Nov. 1 and 3 at the O2 Arena in London. Game 4 will be played Nov. 6 in Macau in the Cotai Arena at the Venetian Hotel, and the tour will close in Melbourne, Australia with games at Rod Laver Arena on Nov. 8 and 9.
If they really wanted to make a point they should take their salaries and put it in a pool for the rank and file NBA players and employees who might be struggling during the lockout, but you know that isn’t going to happen.