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Kobe Bryant visited China every summer during last decade

CCTV.com

04-14-2016 16:04 BJT

As one of the league's all-time greats, the five-time champion has long impressed fans around the world with both his skills on the court, and his sense of glamour off the hardwood.

And China is no exception, as the player nicknamed the Black Mamba has visited the country every summer over the last decade, and remains the most popular NBA star on this side of the globe.

Many basketball fans around the world were saddened when Kobe Bryant announced his impending retirement earlier this season. The moment was especially impactful in China, a country he has made sure to visit in each of the last 10 years.

More than 8,000 miles away from the USA, hoops enthusiasts in the PRC gave the American star the greatest of welcomes, holding up posters and waving his jerseys. The Black Mamba toured the nation as early as 2002, just before Yao Ming's NBA debut. While promoting his own line of shoes, the LA Lakers guard also helped attract a new wave of supporters to the sport.

Kobe's influence is also reflected through social media, as more than four million fans follow him on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging platform reminiscent of Twitter.

Bryant has received a hero's welcome in every city he's visited in the country, as thousands of fans turned out to greet their idol on the nation's streets, hoping to catch the merest glimpse of the basketball legend.

And after playing his final game in the NBA on Wednesday night, the Black Mamba plans to continue engaging with his supporters in the PRC, just as they will continue to stand behind the hardwood icon.

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