Kobe Bryant: scored 60 points on final day
Celebrities react on social media
By Nehru Odeh
Basketball legend Kobe Bryant has died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California in the United States.
The 41-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers basketball star was traveling with four other people in his private helicopter when it crashed, killing everyone on board.
Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of the crash near Las Virgenes Rd and Willow Glen St in Calabasas at around 10am after a fire broke out.
Though the cause of the crash is not yet known as it is still under investigation, witnesses reported hearing the helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down.
It is unclear where the chopper departed from or where it was headed.
Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa and their four daughters – Gianna, Natalia and Bianca and newborn Capri.
Bryant, a native of Philadelphia was widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
He spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, winning five NBA championships and 18 All-Star titles before he retired in 2016.
He was the first guard in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons and was the first and only player in Lakers history to have both of his jersey numbers – 8 and 24 – retired.
Bryant has been known to use a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter to travel for years – often flying from Newport Beach to the Staples Center for Lakers games.
Since the news of his death broke, celebrities have been paying tributes to him on social media. Khloe Kardashian wrote: ‘This can’t be real, there’s no way!!! My heart hurts.’ In another tweet, she shared: ‘Please don’t let this be True. I’m shaking.
Tristan Thompson also tweeted: ‘I hope this isn’t true man!!’ upon hearing the news that the 41-year-old was one of five people killed in the crash.
Demi Lovato shared a shot with the Lakers legend at the Staples Center: ‘This makes me so sad. Kobe you were always so sweet to me. Known you over 10 years.. not super well but we always joked about you coming over and playing that game of horse! You will he so missed by so many. You’re a legend with wings now. RIP Kobe.’
Travis Barker, who lives nearby in the upscale Southern California neighborhood, simply tweeted: ‘RIP KOBE.’
Khalid wrote: ‘RIP Kobe. This is heartbreaking unbelievable.’