Black Mamba no more

Los Angeles, January 27

NBA legend Kobe Bryant died on Sunday when a helicopter he was riding in crashed and burst into flames in thick fog, killing all nine people on board including his teenage daughter and plunging legions of fans around the world into mourning.

Bryant, 41, was travelling with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers and crew when their Sikorsky S-76 helicopter slammed into a rugged hillside in Calabasas, west of Los Angeles. There were no survivors.

Iconic figure

Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and two-time Olympics gold medallist, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in history, an iconic figure who became one of the faces of his sport during a glittering two-decade career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dozens of firefighters and paramedics battled across steep terrain to reach the flaming wreckage at the crash site but found no survivors. Bryant’s death sent shockwaves throughout the world, with basketball stars stunned by the news.

Tributes to Bryant flooded in from former US presidents, pop stars and athletes from different sports, a sign of how the man known as the “Black Mamba” had transcended basketball.

Brazilian soccer star Neymar paid tribute to Bryant after scoring for his French club side Paris Saint-Germain, making the No. 24 —Bryant’s old shirt number — with his fingers.

At the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, crowds of shocked fans gathered to pay tribute as the venue which witnessed many of Bryant’s career highlights hosted the music industry’s Grammy Awards.

Purple and gold honour

Los Angeles City Hall was lit up in purple and gold to honor Bryant and the Grammys got under way with a somber tribute from singer Alicia Keys. Across the NBA, tributes were held at several of the eight games on Sunday.

The crash came only hours after Bryant (33,643 points) was passed by current Lakers star LeBron James for third on the all-time NBA scoring list in at Philadelphia. Bryant’s final post on social media had been a tweet congratulating James on surpassing him. 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 Olympics gold medallist, helping spark the US squad of NBA stars to titles in 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in 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. He would eventually join the ranks of professionals at the age of 17, jumping directly into the NBA, only the sixth player and first guard to make such a leap.

Youngest starter in an NBA game

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. With Bryant paired alongside Shaquille O’Neal, the Lakers captured three NBA crowns in a row in 2000-2002, returning the team to glory days unseen since 1988. — AFP

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Career highlights

• Born in Philadelphia in 1978, son of former NBA player Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant. Kobe lived for 8 years in Italy, where his father played professionally after his National Basketball Association career ended. On returning to the United States, Kobe attended Lower Merion High School outside Philadelphia and gained a reputation as one of the best high school players in the country
• 13Chosen as the 13th overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 draft and immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers A forward and shooting guard, he made his NBA debut in November 1996 at the age of 18 and played 20 consecutive seasons in the league
• 5NBA championships for Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers. Nicknamed the ‘Black Mamba,’ he won NBA championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010
• 18Won the NBA Most Valuable Player award in 2008, and was named to the NBA All-Star team 18 times
• 2Won Olympics gold medals twice with the United States in 2008 and 2012
• 1,346 Retired in 2016 after playing 1,346 regular season games and averaging 25 points a game, twice leading the league in scoring
• $300Million earning by Bryant on the court during his career. His career points total of 33,643 is fourth on the all-time NBA list

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  On November 29, 2015, Bryant announced to retire at the end of the season. He played in 66 games that season, averaging 17.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Bryant is the only player in NBA history to have multiple jerseys retired by a franchise

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  Admitted to adultery

  Bryant’s career was almost derailed in 2003 when he 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.

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  Won an Oscar in 2018

  In 2018, Bryant won an Oscar for his animated short film Dear Basketball, a love letter to the sport which brought him fame and fortune. He also made a children's book series, inspired by his love for Harry Potter.

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  ‘FIERCE COMPETITOR’

  I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe’s and Gianna’s passing. Words can’t describe 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. Kobe was an amazing dad who loved his family deeply — and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball —Michael JORDAN, SIX-TIMES NBA CHAMPION 

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  There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through with this tragedy of losing my niece Gigi and my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed.—SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, FORMER BRYANT TEAMMATE

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  As I try to write this post, my mind is racing. I’m in disbelief and have been crying all morning over this devastating news that Kobe and his young daughter, Gigi have passed away in a helicopter crash. Cookie and I are heartbroken—EARVIN MAGIC JOHNSON, FORMER LAKERS GREAT

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  Most people will remember Kobe as the magnificent athlete who inspired a whole generation of basketball players. But I will always remember him as a man who was much more than an athlete— KAREEM ABDUL-JABAAR, FORMER LAKERS GREAT

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  He was in constant pursuit of doing something special and there will never be a greater warrior in our sport. I will always remember how much he cherished representing his country in a first-class manner playing the game he so loved. The game of basketball is better today because of Kobe, and he deserves eternal appreciation for that—MIKE KRZYZEWSKI, COACH OF 2008, 2012 US OLYMPICS TEAMS

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  Absolutely devastated to hear this news today. So many childhood memories of waking up early and watching this magician doing things on the court that I would be mesmerized by. Life is so unpredictable and fickle—VIRAT KOHLI

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  "It's super sad. He was one of the greatest sportsmen in history. He deserves a big round of applause. It's one of these days that you want to forget but of course Kobe Bryant will be in our hearts and in our minds for the rest of our lives"—Rafa Nadal

"I never met Kobe but basketball's practically my life, I watch it every day and I've been following it for as long as I remember... it's tough, it's horrible news. If anything, it motivated me (during the game). If you look at the things he stood for and what he wanted to be remembered by, I felt like if anything it helped me tonight. When I was down a break in the fourth set I was definitely thinking about it and I fought back" —Nick Kyrgios

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