NBA Legend Kobe Bryant Killed in Helicopter Crash

NBA legend Kobe Bryant died Sunday when a helicopter crashed and burst into flames in foggy conditions in suburban Los Angeles, leaving Nine people dead along with his daughter.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said eight passengers and the pilot of the aircraft died in the accident.

"There were no survivors... There were nine people on board the aircraft, the pilot plus eight individuals," Villanueva said.

The helicopter was described as a Sikorsky S-76, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said.

Early reports on Sunday said five people had been on board the helicopter when it crashed in foggy conditions in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas.

Authorities said firefighters received a call shortly before 9:37 am about the crash, which caused a brush fire on a hillside.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said firefighters had to hike to the site of the crash with medical equipment and hose lines to extinguish the blaze.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti confirmed that Bryant's 13-year-old daughter Gianna was among the victims.

"L.A. is grieving with the Bryant family over the loss of Gianna, who perished with her father and friends in today's tragedy," Garcetti wrote on Twitter.

Gianna was one of Bryant's four children with wife Vanessa.

Bryant and Gianna had been flying to a game his daughter was expected to play in when their helicopter crashed, according to US reports.

Bryant's death sent shockwaves throughout the world, with fellow stars and celebrities expressing disbelief at the news.

At the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, dozens of shocked fans gathered to pay tribute to the star.

Across the NBA, tributes broke out at two of eight games scheduled for Sunday.

Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers fought back tears ahead of his team's game against the Orlando Magic.

"The news is just devastating to everybody who knew him, who knew him a long time," Rivers said. 

"He had that DNA that very few athletes can ever have -- the Tiger Woods' and Michael Jordans.

"Right now everybody is a Lakers fan. We're all Lakers right now."

The crash came only hours after Bryant was passed by current Lakers star LeBron James for third on the all-time NBA scoring list in a Saturday game at Philadelphia.

Bryant's final post on social media had been a tweet congratulating James on surpassing him.

"Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames," Bryant wrote. "Much respect my brother #33644".

Five-time champion

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

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

Bryant bowed out of the NBA in 2016, scoring 60 points in his final appearance before his adoring fans at the Staples Center.

It was a fairytale farewell to a sporting career which had begun two decades earlier.

The son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, the Lakers legend was born in Philadelphia in 1978 while his father played for the 76ers.

The elder Bryant played from 1984 to 1991 in Italy, giving young Kobe a global worldview as he grew up dreaming of following his dad into the NBA.

When his father retired as a player, the family moved back to the Philadelphia area and Kobe began his star turn at Lower Merion High School, where his jersey number 33 was retired. 

He decided at age 17 to jump directly from the prep ranks to the NBA, only the sixth player and first guard to make such a leap.

Bryant was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft but they were picking for the Lakers in a deal made before the draft.

At 18, Bryant became, at the time, the youngest player or starter in an NBA game and the youngest winner of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. 

In 1998, he became the youngest NBA All-Star starter. In a 1999 campaign shortened by a labor dispute, Bryant started every game for the Lakers and signed a six-year deal worth $70 million.

As the Michael Jordan era ended in Chicago, Bulls coach Phil Jackson wound up joining the Lakers and with sharpshooter Bryant joining dominating inside force Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers captured three NBA crowns in a row from 2000-2002, returning the team to glory days unseen since 1988.

Bryant's career was almost derailed in 2003 when he was was arrested in Colorado over a sexual assault complaint filed by a 19-year-old hotel employee where Bryant was staying ahead of knee surgery. 

Bryant was accused of rape. He admitted to adultery but said he did not commit rape. The case was dropped in 2004 after the accuser refused to testify in a trial. 

A separate civil suit was settled under terms kept private.

Bryant saw out his career with the Lakers, successfully branching out into the entertainment industry following his retirement. 

In 2018, he won an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball", a love letter to the sport which brought him fame and fortune.

Source: AFP