Chinese students honour NBA legend with giant snow portrait on basketball court

Some Chinese students have honoured NBA legend Kobe Bryant who has announced that he will retiring at the end of the current season.

To honour the LA Lakers star, students from the Chinese province of Jilin carved his face and the words "Forever 24" on their snow-covered basketball court, China Xinhua News reports.

The Los Angeles Lakers guard announced on Sunday, November 29 .

"This season is all I have left to give,” Bryant wrote on The Players Tribune.

"My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it’s time to say goodbye."

Also read: Kobe Bryant in numbers

The 38-year-old has been receiving a host of tributes from all over the world.

For the next game after his retirement, two fans of the veteran basketballer quit their job in Italy and spent huge money to fly to America to watch their hero.

According to a sign they held up, they didn't only lose their job, they paid $6,000 for their seats and $2,500 for their flight to Philly.

Watch this video of Kobe Bryant celebrating an NBA Championship win: