Kobe continues to keep it real

Even in retirement, Bryant provides inspiration for his Chinese fans

Almost a year and a half after his retirement, Kobe Bryant remains the lean, keen "Black Mamba" we all know.

And Chinese fans still can't get enough of him.

Bryant kicked off his latest China trip on Tuesday in Haikou, where a media event had to be called off prematurely for fear of a stampede after the 39-year-old was mobbed by an over-zealous crowd - repeating a scenario that's played out many times during his previous visits here.

His sheer determination is the same, too.

In an apparent riposte to those who questioned his fitness when an unflattering picture went viral on Chinese social media, the 18-time NBA All-Star posted a photo of himself on Weibo, working out at 4 am in his hotel gym.

"I found myself taking a lot of time off (after retirement), and then I realized it's time to get back into it. I want to be the most in-shape retired player that you ever see," Bryant told China Daily.

"The mamba mentality just kicked right back in to push me to taking new challenges head-on."

The competitive mentality that drove him to five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers remains intact, too - as evidenced by the roars of encouragement he gave youngsters during a shootout contest at a Haikou middle school.

The superstar's school stop in Hainan's provincial capital coincided with the announcement of a multiyear partnership between NBA China and Mission Hills Group to promote youth basketball development and NBA culture.

A relaxed Bryant interacted with around 30 awestruck kids - even if some of them (perhaps fans of the Kobe-Shaquille O'Neal tandem) looked a little disappointed when he answered "Pau Gasol" when asked to name his favorite teammate.

"Kobe is the same Kobe in training," said Han Zifei, a student participating in the clinic.

"He never takes it easy, even in the simplest drills, or lets anybody around him slack off. That's why I appreciate him so much. To be around him and learn from him from up close will be a lifelong memory for me."

Bryant first came to China in 1998 and basketball's subsequent surge in popularity here has cemented the Philadelphia native's bond with the country.

"It's always about the passion of basketball," he said. "It just grew and grew to the point which China has become like a second home to me."

Bryant's Lakers jersey was the top seller in China from 2007-10, and he is still pursuing plenty of business interests here.

In August 2015, he signed a trilateral partnership with e-commerce giant Alibaba and internet-service provider Sina to release his documentary movie Kobe Bryant's Muse in China, a move designed to promote his personal brand on Alibaba's TMall platform.

Last year, four months after his retirement, Bryant invested in Vipkid, a China-based online service for children to learn English from North American teachers through a venture-capital firm.

Bryant wants education to form the core of his business ventures.

"The most important thing for me is to be prudently selective... to make sure everything that I do is focused on helping kids be better," he said.

"The biggest goal that I have as a storyteller and as an investor is to inspire generation after generation.

"If I can do that in the next phase of my life, I will be very happy."

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn