Basketball star Kobe Bryant, popularly known as ‘Black Mamba’ was killed in a helicopter crash on January 26. He was 41.
Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria Onore Bryant and seven others also died in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles, California.
The American basketball legend is survived by wife Vanessa Bryant and their three daughters.
In his 20-year career with the National Basketball Association (NBA), the 18-time NBA All-Star won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He is also a two-time Olympic gold medallist, being a part of the US national basketball team in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
Kobe Bryant was the third-highest league scorer in NBA history with the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James surpassing him on January 26 night.
Bryant's last tweet was a congratulatory message to James.
Bryant played 10 seasons each wearing jersey numbers 8 and 24. Both jersey numbers were discontinued by the Los Angeles Lakers after Bryant's retirement in 2016.
Following his death, two NBA teams took deliberate 24-second and 8-second violations to honour him.
He was born to Joseph "Jellybean" Bryant in Philadelphia, the youngest of three children.
When he joined the NBA in 1996 at age 18, he was considered the youngest ever starter in the league. At age 34, he became the youngest ever player to reach 30,000 points.
In 2008, he won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.
The NBA called Bryant's death "a monumental loss for the entire basketball community".
Bryant was often compared with another basketball legend Michael Jordan, who played with the Chicago Bulls, due to their similar playing styles.
"Words can’t the pain I’m feeling. I loved Kobe – he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force," Jordan said after the news of Bryant's death.
Kobe Bryant’s net worth was $600 million, as per Celebrity Net Worth.
Bryant also founded an entertainment company called Granity Studios to create sports-themed films, TV shows and books.
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