The day after Kobe Bryant died, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, posted a statement on Twitter: “Saddened by the tragic loss of #KobeBryant. An inspiration for many and a legend of his generation, he will always be remembered for his contribution to the world of sport and to #ChinaUS people-to-people exchanges.”

Though Bryant was a huge star in the country — even the most popular sports figure, for awhile — the ambassador’s message was notable. China and the N.B.A. have been on the outs since October, when Daryl Morey, the general manager of the Houston Rockets, shared an image on Twitter that showed support for the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. This roiled the Chinese government and instantly derailed decades of league efforts to court the country’s sizable basketball audience, initiating a conflict at the rare intersection of sports, domestic politics, corporate profits and international relations.

Four months later, China is grappling with the coronavirus that has sickened thousands of its people and disrupted the economy, and as the N.B.A. embarks on its signature All-Star weekend, in Chicago, there are signs that tension between the two sides has begun to dissipate, even beyond the tweet from Cui.

“Right now, our focus is on working with global health organizations to provide whatever assistance we can to the people of China in response to the coronavirus outbreak,” N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver told The New York Times on Thursday in an emailed statement. “Many of our Chinese partners were unable to attend our N.B.A. All-Star events because of travel restrictions, but all of the weekend’s events will be carried in China on Tencent.”