Kobe Bryant's Death Dominates Conversation in China, More Discussing NBA Legend Than Coronavirus

Kobe Bryant may have lived in the United States but the ripple effect following his tragic death is being felt around the world. On Monday morning in China, when fans woke up to the news, they overwhelmed social media with their sadness, love and support for the victims and their families following the news of Bryant's death. Fans flooded in by the millions and by mid-afternoon, the hashtag that was designed in his honor on Weibo had 2.4 billion views with tens of millions of engagements, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That makes it the most widely read and discussed topic of the day.

The devastating news comes at an already challenging time for those living in China as they've had to deal with the deadly coronavirus that's sent the country into crisis mode. Several have taken to social media to share their wishes and hopes that 2020 could just be started over since it's been such a sad start.

Basketball is a huge deal in China, partially in part of the success Houston Rockets center Yao Ming had in the NBA. Though the NBA ran into a few political issues in regards to China, the American sport still remains the most popular sport in China. Bryant's popularity among those in the country was not only because he was a legendary individual on and off the court, but he made great efforts to engage with his fans overseas. In fact, just before his death, he posted a happy Chinese New Year message to his own Weibo profile, "Xin Chun Kuai Le to my dear friends in China!" he posted to his 9.2 million followers.

Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, along with seven other passengers lost their life suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday morning after the chopper they were in crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California. John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester and Ara Zobayan were all victims of the crash. The nine passengers were on their way to basketball practice but never made it and now experts are weighing in to try and find some answers as to how this could have happened.

Several pilot experts have stepped up to the plate to share their opinion on what could have gone wrong during flight. One believes Zobayan, the pilot, misjudged his surroundings. The fog was so thick that morning, even LAPD grounded all of their choppers. Another pilot can't understand why Zobayan, a veteran pilot, would maintain a speed of 161 knots given the weather conditions. He mentioned that helicopters are designed to be able to go 15 mph for situations like this. Other pilots feel the tragic events may have been different had he gone above the fog instead of down since they crashed into a hillside. Fans and professionals alike are still trying to piece the puzzle together as news continues to develop.

Photo credit: STR/AFP/Getty.