In the ESPN World Fame 100, soccer stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi ranked Nos. 1 and 3, while LeBron James ranked No. 2 and Kevin Durant ranked No. 6. It's not surprising because soccer and the NBA are among the most popular sports in China and the world.
Yet for fans in China, none of those four tops the list. Rather, Kobe Bryant, who came in at No. 11 in the overall fame rankings, sits at No. 1, totally unshakable. Yes, the "Black Mamba" is the most popular athlete in China.