There isn't a basketball fan on the planet who doesn't know the name Kobe Bryant. One of the all-time great scorers in NBA history, a five-time champion and probably the only guard ever to be anywhere close to what Michael Jordan was in the history of this game. Now the man who brought so much joy to millions and millions of people has apparently died along with four other people in a reported helicopter accident according to TMZ in Calabasas, California.
He was 41-years old.
"Kobe Bryant died in a helicoper crash in Calabasas Sunday morning … TMZ Sports has confirmed.
Kobe was traveling with at least 3 other people in his private helicopter when it went down. A fire broke out. Emergency personnel responded, but nobody on board survived. 5 people are confirmed dead. We're told Vanessa Bryant was not among those on board.
The cause of the crash is under investigation."
This was the last tweet Kobe Bryant sent
There really aren't any words to help cover something of this magnitude. Somebody of Bryant's stature suddenly dying in such a tragic accident is never expected. He leaves behind a wife and four daughters. Unbelievably sad. It was initially believed that Vanessa Bryant was on board as well but those have since been corrected. Uncertainty faces both her and her family moving forward.
Update*****************************************************************
It's now being reported that Bryant's former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Rick Fox might also have been killed in the crash. He was a member of all three championship teams from 2000 to 2002. Fox was 50-years old.
There was an initial report by ABC that Bryant's daughters were also on board but that has since been refuted. One can only imagine if that had been the case. The sports world can only take so much tragedy at one time.
In addition, it appears the NBA has decided to cancel any games they had scheduled for today in the wake of this news.
UPDATE***************************************************************
Thankfully the reports that Fox was also on the helicopter with Bryant were not true. His daughter confirmed her father was in fact alive and in good health.
However, the news shifted again to reveal that Bryant's daughter Gianna was on board and killed alongside her father by TMZ. Gutwrenching.
