Source: Allen Berezovsky / Getty
Multiple outlets including the
Los Angeles Times and
ESPN are confirming that one of the individuals on board a helicopter crash in Los Angeles was NBA legend,
Kobe Bryant. Bryant, a 5-time champion and the league’s fourth all-time leading scorer, was on board a helicopter in Calabasas shortly after 9 a.m. Bryant recently gave a hat tip to
LeBron James for passing him on the NBA’s all-time scoring list one night ago.
Bryant was among eight other individuals who perished in the crash, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna as well as former UH baseball captain
John Altobelli, his wife, and daughter, as well as another mother and player for Kobe’s daughter’s basketball team.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the crash “ignited a brush fire and made it difficult for firefighters and emergency personnel to get to the aircraft”.
TMZ first reported the crash along with
Variety.
Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa, and their three daughters — Natalia and Bianca, and their newborn Capri.
Bryant, who played his entire 20-year career with the Lakers won 2 NBA Finals MVPs to go along with his five titles. He was the 2007-08 NBA MVP, a four-time All-Star Game MVP and is widely considered amongst the game’s all-time greats.
