Kobe Bryant makes his way through the crowd of Chinese fans at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2009, he launched the Kobe Bryant China Fund, a charity set up to raise money for education, sports and cultural programs for youth in China. Bryant's parents reportedly named him after the famous beef that is produced in Kobe city in Japan. "I've been always proud that I'm from Kobe because Kobe Bryant was named after my city. Kizo Hisamoto, mayor of Kobe city, said in a statement Monday that Bryant held "a special place for the people of Kobe city."

Source: CNN January 27, 2020 08:29 UTC