Legendary basketballer Kobe Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter were travelling in Kobe’s private helicopter on their way to the Mamba Academy for a basketball practice when a fire broke out sending the chopper spiralling from the sky, according to TMZ.
Kobe Bryant and Gianna were two of five people confirmed dead in the crash which happened in Calabasas, California on Sunday morning, January 26, 2020. Another player and their parent were also said to have been on the helicopter.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Kobe has famously used a helicopter to travel for years — dating back to when he played for the Lakers. He was known for commuting from Newport Beach, CA to the STAPLES Center in DTLA in his Sikorsky S-76 chopper.
Kobe is widely considered one of the greatest NBA players of all time — making 18 All-Star teams during his 20 year career with the Lakers. He was a first-round pick in the 1996 draft, winning 5 NBA championships, 2 NBA Finals MVPs and he was the league MVP in ’08.
The Lakers famously retired both of Kobe’s jerseys, number 8 and 24 … the only player in team history to receive that honor.
Kobe’s accomplishments stand far outside of the basketball world. He won an Oscar for his short film, “Dear Basketball,” in 2018. – #regrann
