*In China, a 21-year-old named Ma Jinghui from Yunnan province has become a sensation by impersonating Kobe Bryant.
According to SandraRose.com, Ma amassed over 600,000 followers on Douyin, China’s equivalent of TikTok. In his videos, he wears dark makeup (blackface) and Bryant’s No. 24 jersey. He allegedly earned $12,000 within ten days through live-streaming sessions.
Identifying himself as the “Chinese Kobe Bryant,” he interacts with his followers in English.
As SCMP.com reports, Ma said he was “pleasantly surprised” by his fame.
“I hope to earn more money, buy a car for my dad and get my sister a new phone,” he said.
“I’m now learning English to pay a better tribute to Kobe Bryant,” Ma added.
“My goal is 1 million followers, and I’ll be live-streaming basketball games in the future.”
Meanwhile, in related news, we reported earlier that Bryant’s 2000 NBA championship set a new sports memorabilia record, fetching nearly one million dollars at Goldin Auctions.
Bryant earned the ring with his first championship win, which he won when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in 2000. Kobe gifted the ring to his father, Joe, who reportedly put it up for auction. It recently sold for $927,200 USD. Goldin Auctions announced the record-breaking sale, now holding the title for the most expensive NBA championship ring sold, HypeBeast reports.
In a statement, Goldin said, “Obtained directly from the Bryant family, this ring is a true one-of-a-kind, and we can confirm that it is the only championship ring ever given by Kobe to his father.”
Bryant’s parents received significant criticism from fans across social media for auctioning off his first championship ring.
READ MORE: Kobe Bryant’s 2000 NBA Championship Ring Fetches Nearly $1M in Auction
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