Kobe Bryant a Knick? Only On a Video Game Cover

New commercial features Spike Lee and a pipe dream

By JOSH ALPER

Updated 3:50 PM EDT, Thu, Jun 4, 2009

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Before the NBA Finals tip off on Thursday night, a commercial will unveil the star who graces the cover of the video game NBA 2K10. The news has been leaked, though, as ESPN reports that it will be Kobe Bryant on the cover, which isn't a surprise. What he'll be wearing in the commercial is pretty shocking, though.

The commercial features Spike Lee trying to figure out the best shot of Bryant to use on the cover of the new game and he finally settles on a shot of Bryant wearing a Knicks jersey.

"If Kobe is going to be on the cover, at least put him in the orange and blue," he says, pointing to the altered image of Bryant on the Knicks. "He looks good like that."

Fans can actually vote on whether or not to use that picture as the game's official cover art, or they can choose one of three shots featuring Bryant in his more familiar Lakers garb. And there's a slim, nearly anorexic chance that Bryant could actually don Knicks threads in real life.

Kobe as a Knick is an unlikely dream outside of...

Bryant can opt out of his contract after this season and become a free agent. The Knicks could probably find a spot in the lineup for him, and as his 61-point night this season attests he enjoys playing under the bright Garden lights. So why such a slim chance? Well, Bryant would be leaving nearly $50 million on the table for the chance to play for the mid-level salary cap exception. That's the only cash the Knicks have to offer, and it seems more likely that Bryant would join the cast of "The View" as he would play for such a piddling sum.

So, yeah, you're going to need the video game to actually see what a Knicks team looks like with Kobe. But signing him would have screwed up a season's worth of LeBron-mania, and who could possibly want that, right?

Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.