The death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash on Sunday has brought forth an outpouring of grief from many of his fellow professionals, as well as from prominent members of the global sporting community.
The 18-time NBA all-star, aged 41, died after a helicopter in which he was a passenger crashed after bursting into flames in the city of Calabasas in Los Angeles County, per US media. Reports state that another four people are understood to have perished in the crash.
Bryant, who spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers, retired from basketball in 2016 after a two-decade career which saw him become a five-time NBA champion and enshrined his status in the history books as being one of the sport’s best-ever players.
We can confirm that Kobe Bryant passed away today from the causes of a helicopter accident.
The entire Los Angeles Lakers family wishes to support their family and friends.
As such, his death has prompted an overwhelming display of emotion on social media as his fellow players, some of whom played alongside the Lakers icon, expressed their anguish at the loss of one of the game’s true giants.
Bryant’s reach in the sports world extended far beyond that of just the NBA, causing several well-known names from across the globe to join in the outpouring of grief.
Kobe you were my idol… period. Mentality through and through. Thank you. To your family, I wish y’all nothing but the very best. Prayers and thoughts with you don’t begin to describe what we want for y’all. Love and respect to #8 & #24 forever. #MambaMentality#Mamba
