NBA stars' global tour appears set
The six-game global tour by several of the NBA's top stars, including Kobe Bryant(notes), LeBron James(notes) and Kevin Durant(notes) appears set to begin Sunday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after an agreement was reached among the tour's organizers, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. A formal announcement is expected Tuesday.
The tour will begin in Puerto Rico and is scheduled to continue to London, Macau and Melbourne, Australia. Organizers are considering adding a fifth city to the tour, sources said, and are doing some last-minute tinkering with the other stops and dates.
Organizers had been given a Monday deadline to provide several requirements – including 18 signed player agreements – for Sunday's game. Locking in a TV deal was the final big hurdle.
Participating players have agreements to pay them anywhere from a six-figure fee to more than $1 million for participation.
[Related: NBA teams that can least afford a season-long lockout]
Puerto Rican promoters had been waiting on signed agreements from 10 of the 18 players expected to play in the game, a $12,500 payment to begin the sale of tickets and evidence of a global television package, sources said.
Players such as Dwyane Wade(notes), Kevin Garnett(notes), Carmelo Anthony(notes), Rajon Rondo(notes) and Kevin Love(notes) have been promised as participants to tour promoters.
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