Kobe Bryant Welcomed Like a Demigod in China Once Again

Kobe Bryant is on his annual Nike #branding tour in China this week, making public appearances and drawing the usual One Direction-ish crush of fans along the way. 

Like clockwork, when Bryant stopped by Shanghai and Guangzhou this weekend, the cities' streets were choked with people hoping for a glimpse of the Los Angeles Lakers star.

Every year this happens, and every year the crowds that assemble just to see the man in the flesh are nothing short of dumbfounding.

Uncredited/Associated Press

Selfie sticks made an appearance:

Even Bryant's lattes get special treatment:

Kobe Bryant in China is a traveling Beatles concert wrapped inside a Muhammad Ali title defense. He is a basketball Lollapalooza with a TomorrowWorld on top. He is hardwood Tom Cruise.

Even if the sky falls, his ankles literally turn into papier-mache and everything falls apart for Kobe in the U.S., he will always have China, where he could be 75 years old and coming off the bench for the Guangdong Tigers with a rolling oxygen tank and still sell out a 20,000-seat arena.

China plus Kobe equals that forever kind of love. 

Dan is on Twitter. No matter what, you're never washed in China.