NBA World Tour Roster Unsettled; Headline Stars Dropping Like Flies

The NBA world tour roster hasn't been officially settled just yet with only three days until the tour begins.

What we do officially know, though, is that top-tier NBA players will begin a six-game, two-week, four-continent exhibition world tour Sunday Oct. 30 in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum. Tickets will go on sale in Puerto Rico on Wednesday afternoon. News of the tour broke last week, but contractual and logistical issues had to be worked out, and a formal announcement is expected within the next couple of days.

The tour has officially been named the World All-Star Classic. And, officially, it will hit O2 Arena in London on Nov. 1 and 3, the Cotai Arena at the Venetian Hotel in Macau on Nov. 6, and Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 8 and 9. Organizers are considering adding a fifth city and are doing some last-minute tinkering with the other stops and dates, according to Yahoo Sports.

Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant will headline the team. Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Blake Griffin, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Carlos Boozer, Tyson Chandler, Steve Nash, Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo and Chris Kaman also may participate, according to ESPN reports.

After initial reports said differently, Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook were also believed to be part of the excursion, but will not play, according to ESPN the Magazine's Chris Broussard. Rose, who is in Hawaii for a USO-backed exhibition on Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, said the scheduling was just too tough.

Broussard also recently reported that LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul have also decided not to play in the World All-Star Classic.

ESPN the Magazine's Ric Bucker reports that Kevin Durant could drop out as well.

Joakim Noah is among the players organizers would like to add, his report says.

Contrarily, reports said that Dwight Howard had declined the opportunity to join the tour in order to rest from a taxing overseas trip he recently took that included visits to 15 countries. But, he will be among the headline players mentioned above.

Players will be paid from six figures to $1 million, and some proceeds will go to charity.

How those in the U.S. will be able watch the tour -- most likely online live streaming -- remains to be seen.

Atlanta businessman Calvin Darden, the tour's main organizer, has been putting the world tour together with the agents of the all-stars during the NBA lockout for nearly three months.

The world tour was in jeopardy just 72 hours ago because of various hurdles, but tour organizers reached an agreement Tuesday. Getting all players to commit to playing and locking in a TV deal were the biggest hurdles cleared.

Related Article: NBA Lockout Talks Continue; Sides May be Inching Closer to Deal