Fansided

China still really loves Kobe Bryant

By Cody Williams

Credit: Nike Basketball (Twitter)
Credit: Nike Basketball (Twitter) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Kobe Bryant is on his yearly trip to China for Nike and the country is still crazy about Mamba.

Next: 20 Richest NBA Players of All-Time

Even the most avid Kobe Bryant fans are facing the reality that the legendary Los Angeles Lakers guard is nearing the end of his time in the NBA. After back-to-back seasons shortened by injuries, the soon-to-be 37-year-old Bryant is entering his 20th season in the league with many fans wondering how many more he has left in the tank. Some would say that his star is starting to fade and others would say it largely already has.

No one told anyone in China about that, apparently.

Kobe is currently in China for his annual trip with Nike as part of their worldwide branding strategy. He’s always been welcomed as some sort of legendary hero, but that doesn’t make the pictures of his experiences any less incredible:

https://instagram.com/p/54weYjEv_r/

Jokes about Kobe and a selfie stick aside, that’s just an absurd amount of people gathering to see one man, much less a man tucking his t-shirt into his athletic shorts. I’m not sure there’s any singular athlete in the world who could draw that type of crowd on American soil.

Who knows what Kobe will be in the NBA this season and if this will indeed be his last hoorah. If it is, he’ll always have Guangzhou.

H/T to Bleacher Report

More from Los Angeles Lakers

Home/Los Angeles Lakers