Kobe Bryant was a larger-than-life figure who was one of the NBA’s global superstars. Kobe was looked up to by so many in the U.S., and he might have been somewhat of a god for Lakers fans, in particular, but they weren’t the only ones.
Bryant was idolized in China in a way that perhaps no foreign athlete has ever been. He was a very big deal in the country, and Bryant would visit China every offseason as well. He continued to go there even after his retirement as he attended store openings, held basketball clinics, and in a way, became the United States’ best ambassador in China.
Carlos Boozer and Dwight Howard Reveal How Insanely Popular Kobe Bryant Was In China
Netflix recently released their Redeem Team documentary, which chronicled the United States men’s basketball team’s journey to winning the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in China. The U.S. had surprisingly failed to win the gold in 2004, but they weren’t going to be denied in 2008, with Kobe ensuring there wasn’t going to be another letdown. When the team got there, they found out for themselves just how popular Bryant was in the country.
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Carlos Boozer: “Kobe’s celebrity was like Michael Jackson about to go on tour back in the day. A girl fainted right in front of us trying to get to Kobe.”
Kobe Bryant: “It’s a bit overwhelming and a little embarrassing, to be honest. I’m just trying to blend in and duck my head down because I just want to be part of the mix, but nonetheless, it’s extremely special.”
Dwight Howard: “It was thousands of fans waiting at the hotel. They couldn’t even get close to the hotel, but they were just waiting to take pictures of our bus because they knew Kobe Bryant was on the bus.”
LeBron James had once remarked that he thought he was famous until he got to China with Kobe, which says it all. The Kobe fandom in China really was on a completely different level. He didn’t disappoint them either, as he played ever so well and put on a show for them.
Kobe also motivated his teammates with his actions during their time in China. In this documentary, they spoke about how they, too started working out at 5:30 in the morning after they saw Kobe training when they were coming back from a club at that time. Bryant was truly one of a kind, and there will never be another like him.
