Statue of basketball star Kobe Bryant, daughter placed at crash site, fans say, 'Thank you'

Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in January 2022.

A statue of basketball star Kobe Bryant and his daughter, who were killed in a helicopter crash two years ago, has been placed at the site of the crash in California, US.

The bronze sculpture by artist Dan Medina, to mark their second death anniversary, shows Kobe Bryant with his arm around his young daughter. It also has the names of the others who died in the crash.

Los Angeles Lakers star Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in the crash in hills near Los Angeles on January 27, 2020.

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Bryant’s fans, overwhelmed on seeing photos of the icon’s statue, thanked Medina for the creation. “Thank you for what you do,” a person commented on his Instagram post.

“Can’t wait to visit this now! Beautiful indeed,” another user said.

Bryant's wife Vanessa has also sued Los Angeles County, alleging that she and her family suffered emotional distress over the pictures. That lawsuit continues.

An investigation into the crash found the pilot had probably become disorientated after flying the Sikorsky S-76 into clouds.

Bryant is widely recognised as one of the greatest basketball players ever, a figure who became the face of his sport during a glittering two decades with the Lakers.

He was a five-time NBA champion in a career that began in 1996 straight out of high school and lasted until his retirement in 2016.

He was also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, helping spark the US squad of NBA stars to titles in 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in London.