A young, outgoing NBA player traveling to Russia with his agent will receive a guided tour of Moscow from one of the world’s most eligible and wealthiest bachelors.
Sounds like a comedy movie script, but it is part of what awaits the Nets’ MarShon Brooks when he leaves Tuesday to participate in the NBA-sponsored Basketball Without Borders Europe, which goes to Russia for the first time this week.
The NBA, FIBA and Russian Basketball Federation have lined up current and former NBA players plus Russian legends for the Sept. 13-16 event, which features a camp for 50 of the top European prospects, hailing from more than 25 countries.
And, of course, no basketball event in Russia could be complete without a connection to Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who intends to show off Moscow to Brooks and his agent, Seth Cohen.
“I’m excited, looking forward to going to Moscow with Seth and representing Nets Nation in our owner’s home country,” said Brooks, who also will attend a formal dinner at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow on the trip.
Cohen, of the Miami-based Original Creative Representation, is going at Brooks’ request. He may be a veteran of one NBA season, but Brooks is 23 and figured it wouldn’t hurt to have a familiar face along.
“The NBA came to the Nets, which makes sense. There is a large Russian community in Brooklyn. The Nets have Russian ownership and MarShon is very personable,” Cohen said. “The NBA and the Nets have gotten great feedback when MarShon does an event, so he was asked to represent the Nets in Moscow.”
What’s Brooks looking forward to most — other than a night out with his owner?
“Sharing with [the prospects] what it’s like being a rookie in the NBA,” said Brooks, who will be joined in Russia by the Spurs’ Danny Green and free agent Brian Cardinal, “and showing them a crossover.”
The camp will stress Russian basketball heavily. Among those participating will be Minnesota’s Andrei Kirilenko and Alexy Shved plus Denver’s Timofey Mozgov, a former Knick — all are members of Russia’s Olympic bronze-medal team. Also expected are former NBA and European stars Sarunas Marciulonis and Alexander Volkov as well as former Russian/Soviet legends.