Fans receive prized LeBron tickets; Kobe, Jordan next

MANILA, Philippines - There seems to be no stopping the visits of NBA superstars here.

With Filipino basketball fans bracing for a rare encounter with Miami Heat icon LeBron James next week, Kobe Bryant has confirmed his return next month for a promo tour with a mobile phone company.

But what could cap the year is the possible visit of “His Airness” himself – Michael Jordan.

Lenovo Mobile announced on its official Facebook site that they will be bringing in Bryant on Aug. 12 in a promotional tour which will mark the nth time that the Los Angeles Lakers star will be visiting the country.

“Kobe Bryant is coming back to Manila! Mark this date, August 12, 2013! Watch this space for more updates,” Lenovo Mobile posted.

Bryant has been in Manila both as an adidas and Nike endorser while heading a star-studded cast of NBA stars that included Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Tyreke Evans and James Harden in a pair of exhibition games in the Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend two years ago.

As for Jordan, long considered as the greatest player ever to play the game, there were reports that Gatorade is working out on a plan of bringing him to the Philippines anytime this year.

Although Gatorade neither confirmed nor denied the report, The STAR sources said that it’s not a question of whether Jordan would come or not but when he would be coming owing to the busy schedule of the player who led the Chicago Bulls to a series of championships in the 90s.

Meantime, fans are thrilled over James’ upcoming visit on Tuesday at the Nike Park at Bonifacio Global City and the MOA Arena courtesy of Nike while adidas is bringing in Rose in September.

Rico Santiago, head of the marshalls who facilitated the release of some 4,000 to 5,000 free tickets to the public yesterday, said James is flying in Monday afternoon and will leave Wednesday morning.

Some enterprising fans who lined up for days to get a crack at the limited tickets sold them for P1,500 to P2,000.

But most went home relieved and happy after securing the coveted tickets, including cousins Leo Cuaresmo, Charles Jongco and Marvin Mariano from Pasay City and nurse Kristina Cueva, who came all the way from Cadiz, Negros Occidental.

A James’ fans since his Cleveland Cavaliers days, Cuaresmo, 17, said he’ll give one of his two tickets to his mom; Jongco, 17, will share his other stub with a male friend in exchange for an authentic Nike shirt; and Mariano, 28, to his girlfriend.

For Cueva, 25, who started to idolize James after the Miami Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks three years ago, plans to give her extra ticket to a childhood friend who allowed her to stay for a night in Sucat, Parañaque after getting drenched by heavy rains Tuesday night.

“I’ll give it to her for welcoming me in her house,” said Cueva, who rushed here Friday when news broke out that James is set to storm Manila.