According to NBA.com, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers becomes company spokesman of the NBA trading card partner The Panini Group after signing a multi-year deal with the company.

Bryant’s deal with the company gives hope to the basketball card community. Bryant states that, “Panini and I are passionate about developing this hobby in many new and exciting ways.”

Bryant is among the world’s elite as Forbes Magazine has him as the second richest athlete in the world tied with Michael Jordan and Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen. The four-time NBA champion’s number 24 Lakers jersey also remains to be the No. 1 seller in the U.S.

Though the Italian-based company’s hire of Bryant is a big one, this isn’t the first move Panini has made in the past year for the NBA. In January, the NBA announced that Panini would be the exclusive trading card partner of the NBA starting next season. Panini also has a deal with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a marketing and advertising partner.

The Panini Group in 2008 reached sales of over $900 million. Panini is also the exclusive trading card partner of the NFL and NFLPA.

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Carter Bryant is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey.

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