Red carpet rolled out for Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant may only be in Melbourne for 48 hours but that hasn’t stopped the VIP offers from rolling in. From a shark dive at the Aquarium to a flight over the Twelve Apostles, here are all the insane sightseeing experiences on offer for the NBA great.

NBA great Kobe Bryant will fly into town on a private jet and be offered a suite of VIP experiences as the red carpet is rolled out in a Melbourne welcome fit for a basketball king.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend will spend less than 48 hours on Australian soil when he touches down in the nation’s sporting capital today.

But the NBA hall-of-famer will have an entourage on standby to whisk him away from a luxury suite at Crown for as many money-can’t-buy sightseeing experiences as he desires.

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A helicopter flight to a secret Yarra Valley winery, shark dive at Melbourne Aquarium and a flight over the Twelve Apostles are among the offerings alley-ooped to the former high flyer.

Minders charged with looking after Bryant say his private return jet from Los Angeles to Melbourne would set you back about $500,000 alone.

And the five-time NBA champion has been offered secret sittings at hatted restaurants, a private tour of the National Gallery of Victoria and even a plane trip to see Uluru.

Bryant will only be in town for 48 hours, but that hasn’t stopped the insane offers.

“He’s been offered a lot of good things and there is a very good chance he will be doing some of them,’’ a source close to Bryant’s whirlwind tour told the Herald Sun.

Die-hard fans are shelling out up to almost $8000 for a VIP ticket to hear Bryant speak on Wednesday night, along with a meet and greet session, signed basketball, singlet and book.

Promoter Chris Tamplin said he had been inundated with requests to show Bryant the brightest sites of Victoria.

Bryant will also do his bit for charity while in town, meeting a group of children from the Starlight Foundation and Make-A-Wish-Australia to make their dreams of meeting a sporting superstar come true.

“The interest in Kobe has been huge and the tour has been so successful that we are already looking at bringing the Mamba Mentality your back to Australia later this year, possibly to Sydney or Melbourne or maybe even Melbourne again,” he said.

Visit Victoria chief executive Peter Bingeman said Melbourne was an international, 24-hour city with an impressive roster of major events, restaurants and late-night precincts laden with arts, music and bars.

Die-hard fans are shelling out up to almost $8000 for a VIP ticket to hear Bryant speak.

So Bryant, who retired as one of the greatest basketballers to play the game in 2016, should be spoiled for choice exploring the city.

“Melbourne is Australia’s number one city for a short break so Kobe Bryant has picked the perfect destination to explore in a 48 hour visit,’’ he said.

Mr Bingeman said Victoria’s regional offering added to the State’s uniqueness.

“Located so close to Melbourne, regional Victoria has a range of diverse regions with a variety of sights, sounds, tastes and experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds,’’ he said.

A flight over the Twelve Apostles are among the offerings alley-ooped to the former high flyer

“We are lucky in Victoria that our compact diversity offers something for everyone, whether it’s a pulsating city break, a hinterland or coastal escape, a food and wine or cycling adventure.”

Sports, Tourism and Major Events Minister Martin Pakula said Melbourne was Bryant’s oyster.

“I’m sure Kobe will be keen to get along to see Melbourne United beat the Sydney Kings in the NBL semi finals,’’ he said.

“He should also take the opportunity to catch a runway show at Melbourne Fashion Festival, hit the AFLW double header at Marvel Stadium and see Harry Potter at the Princess Theatre’’.

What do you think Kobe Bryant should do while he’s in Melbourne? Let us know in the comments.

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