By Nathaniel Montoya/ Correspondent
Early Sunday morning, Jan. 26, legendary NBA player Kobe Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash along with four other people. His 13-year-old daughter was also reportedly among the victims.
According to multiple reports, Bryant was on board a helicopter heading to a travel basketball game. While flying over Calabasas, a city of 23,000 people located about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, a fire reportedly broke out on board, causing the helicopter to crash. A brush fire started shortly after the helicopter went down, preventing first responders from providing immediate aid. The remaining passengers have yet to be identified.
Bryant played 20 years in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships and a most valuable player award. His list of accolades includes a 60-point performance in the final game of his career. After retiring from basketball, Bryant won an Academy Award for the short film “Dear Basketball” and landed a job hosting a program on ESPN+ called “Detail.”
Various athletes and celebrities, including Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Robert Iger, have already shown their love and respect for Bryant on social media.
The crash is still under investigation. Bryant is survived by his wife and three remaining children.
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