Kobe Bryant, NBA Legend, Killed in Helicopter Crash at 41

Retired NBA star Kobe Bryant was killed Sunday morning in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif., that killed four others. He was 41.The crash was reported by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department at 11:25 AM local time, and TMZ was the first to report Bryant as among those onboard the aircraft. TMZ also reported that one of Bryant’s four daughters, 13-year-old Gianna, was also on board the helicopter and killed in the crash. According to TMZ, the two were traveling to a basketball practice for Gianna at Bryant’s Mamba Academy in nearby Thousand Oaks.The cause of the crash is still being investigated.Bryant was known for using helicopters to travel throughout Los Angeles during his 20-year career with the Lakers, during which he won five NBA championships. Drafted out of high school by the Lakers in 1996, Bryant embarked on a career that saw him become an 18-time All-Star, the 2007-08 league MVP, and score 33,643 points.His death comes less than 24 hours after fellow NBA star and Lakers forward LeBron James passed Bryant for third on the all-time NBA scorers list. James wore custom shoes with Bryant’s jersey numbers, 8 and 24, during Saturday’s game to honor him.Both of Bryant’s jersey numbers were retired by the Lakers in 2017, two months before he won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short alongside famed Disney animator Glen Keane. The short, titled “Dear Basketball,” depicted moments from Bryant’s childhood and career as he narrated his Players Tribune column announcing his retirement from basketball in 2016.Read original story Kobe Bryant, NBA Legend, Killed in Helicopter Crash at 41 At TheWrap

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