Chinese online media that focuses on live streaming, Sina, has announced that five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers will be joining as guest analyst for its livestream of Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.
In a joint statement with NBA China, the 17-time NBA All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner, Bryant will join Sina host Huang Shuo remotely from Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 9, prior to Game 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET (8:30 a.m. June 10, China time).
Bryant, the 2009 and 2010 NBA Finals MVP, will be giving his insights and analysis during Sina's pregame and postgame shows for Game 3.
Bryant has a strong following in China and his appearance as guest analyst of Sina in an NBA Finals is seen to further boost the sport's popularity in the region, said The Score. Indeed Kobe is one of the most popular American athletes in China who joined the social media site Weibo in 2013.
Kobe's tour in China last season to promote the Nike RISE campaign was such a huge success. A testament of his huge following in China is the hosting of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts Sculpture Museum of Bryant's sculpture being bitten by a black mamba on his achilles.
Bryant is also one of the most recognizable athletes across the globe. He has led the league in scoring twice, and he ranks third on both the league's all-time regular season scoring and all-time postseason scoring lists. Bryant became the youngest player in league history to reach 30,000 career points. He is also the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history.
All NBA Finals games are live streamed on here across China by Sina, offering unprecedented coverage of The Finals to its more than millions of fans in the region. Sina has more than 100 million users worldwide. The web site has forged a strategic partnership with NBA in 2013 to promote the sports in China.
