Beijing: Kobe Bryant was a hugely popular figure in Asia, no more so than in China where basketball rivals soccer as the most popular sport.

However, his death Sunday in a helicopter accident, along with his daughter Gianna, comes at an awkward time between the country and the league. National broadcaster CCTC pulled all NBA games off the air following a tweet in October from Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressing support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests.

The Chinese Basketball Association, led by former Rockets MVP Yao Ming, announced it would suspend all cooperation with the Texas-based team.

Kobe Bryant celebrates with his daughter Gianna following the Lakers' NBA victory in 2009. Credit:Orlando Sentinel

Bryant's popularity among Chinese fans was rivalled only by Yao, LeBron James and Michael Jordan. His playing appearances, including the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics won by the US, were far exceeded by his promotional appearances in the country, both on behalf of his own brand and basketball generally.