693 likes | 2.65k Views
Kobe Bryant, the transcendent basketball superstar who won five NBA championships and was the face of the Los Angeles Lakers for two decades, was killed in a helicopter crash in California along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people.
E N D
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant jumps for a rebound against the Denver Nuggets during Game 2 of their NBA Western Conference final basketball playoff game in Los Angeles, May 21, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal (R) kisses the Most Valuable Player trophy as teammate Kobe Bryant kisses the NBA championship trophy as they celebrate in the locker room after winning the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, June 19,
Kobe Bryant dunks against the Boston Celtics late in the fourth quarter during Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball championship in Los Angeles, June 15, 2008. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes
Kobe Bryant is pictured with his daughter Gianna at the WNBA All Star Game in Las Vegas, July 27, 2019.
Kobe Bryant carries his daughter Gianna, as his wife Vanessa and daughter Natalia (2nd R) stand next to him during the Lakers' NBA Championship parade in Los Angeles, California, June 21, 2010. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Kobe Bryant holds his daughter Natalia during practice for the NBA All-Star basketball game in Houston, Texas, February 16, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Kobe Bryant holds the NBA Championship Trophy alone in a shower after the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 108-96 to win their second consecutive championship following Game 5 of the NBA Finals June 15, 2001. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn
Kobe Bryant attends a gathering with his fans during his "Supernatural Asia Tour 2007" in Shanghai, September 8, 2007. REUTERS/Aly Song
Washington Wizards' Michael Jordan and Lakers' Kobe Bryant chat during the second half of the NBA All-Star game in Atlanta, February 9, 2003. REUTERS/Alan Mothner
Lakers head coach Phil Jackson gives instructions to Kobe Bryant during a game against the Phoenix Suns, December 28, 2000. REUTERS/Jeff Topping
Lakers Kobe Bryant (R) reaches in for the ball as Seattle SuperSonics Gary Payton backs toward the net in the fourth period of their NBA matchup, March 5, 1999. REUTERS/Sam Mircovich
Kobe Bryant (R) cries as he admits to adultery in front of his wife Vanessa, in response to news that Eagle County District Attorneys would press charges against him for one felony count of sexual assault, at a press conference in Los Angeles, July
Kobe Bryant smiles with daughters Gianna (R) and Natalia with the Bill Russell MVP Trophy after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 7 to win the 2010 NBA Finals in Los Angeles, June 17, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Vanessa Laine Bryant and Kobe Bryant arrive at the Academy Awards in Beverly Hills, February 24, 2019. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
President Barack Obama (R) shares a laugh with Kobe Bryant during a ceremony honoring the 2009 NBA basketball champions Los Angeles Lakers in the East Room at the White House in Washington, January 25, 2010. REUTERS/Jim Young
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant looks back to call a play against the Oklahoma Thunder during Game 5 of their NBA Western Conference playoff series in Los Angeles, April 27, 2010. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Kobe Bryant, CEO of Kobe Inc, speaks at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, May 3, 2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Kobe Bryant reaches his hand out to slap hands with his teammates as the Lakers are announced before the start of the first half of their game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston, February 7, 2013. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi
Kobe Bryant dunks against the Sacramento Kings during their game in Los Angeles, January 28, 2011. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Kobe Bryant speaks at a webcast to unveil his new Nike Zoom Kobe IV basketball shoe in Los Angeles, December 11, 2008. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Lakers forward Ron Artest jumps into the arms of teammate Kobe Bryant after scoring the game-winning basket against the Phoenix Suns with less than one second on the clock during Game 5 of their NBA Western Conference final playoffs in Los Angeles
Kobe Bryant chews on his jersey as he turns around to listen to Lakers coach Mike Brown during the first half of a game against the New York Knicks in Los Angeles December 29, 2011. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant eyes a rebound against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, California, April 12, 2011. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (C) celebrates with teammates including Lamar Odom (R) after defeating the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals basketball series in Los Angeles, June 17, 2010. REUTERS/Alex Gallardo
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant receives his 2009 NBA Championship ring from NBA Commissioner David Stern during a ceremony before their season-opening game against the Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles, October 27, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant looks over at teammate Shaquille O'Neal during the second quarter of Game 3 of their first round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Los Angeles, April 24, 2003.
Kobe Bryant celebrates with his father Joe Bryant (L) holding the Larry O'Brien championship trophy in the locker room after winning the Finals against the Indiana Pacers, June 19, 2000. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa arrive as guests for the 2003 Teen Choice Awards, in Los Angeles, August 2, 2003. REUTERS/Fred Prouser
Kobe Bryant smiles as he answers a reporter's question during a news conference in the Olympic media centre before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games July 27, 2012. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant kisses one of his daughters after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals in Los Angeles, June 17, 2010. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant celebrates after dunking against the New York Knicks in Los Angeles, January 9, 2011. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant celebrates a shot by Steve Blake against the Houston Rockets during the second half in Los Angeles, October 26, 2010. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant reacts during their loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles, October 30, 2012. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Lakers' Kobe Bryant passes around Phoenix Suns forward Grant Hill as Steve Nash (L) look on in the first quarter during Game 1 of their NBA Western Conference final series in Los Angeles, May 17, 2010. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant goes head over heels during Game 1 of their first round Western Conference playoff series against the Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles, April 29, 2012. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Kobe Bryant protests a foul during Game 5 of their Western Conference first round playoff game against the New Orleans Hornets in Los Angeles, April 26, 2011. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Team USA's Kobe Bryant (L) and LeBron James (R) share a moment on the bench as their team faced Team Puerto Rico in the FIBA Americas regional qualifying basketball tournament to decide two berths for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, in Las Vegas, Nevada
Steve Nash (C) intervenes as Kobe Bryant (L) berates Metta World Peace for committing a foul during the Lakers' game in Los Angeles, March 10, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Kobe Bryant holds up the Bill Russell MVP Award (R) and the Larry O'Brien Trophy as he signals his four career championship victories after they defeated the Orlando Magic to win the championship in Orlando, Florida, June 14, 2009.
U.S. players (L-R) Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony hold their gold medals after defeating Spain in the men's basketball finals at the Beijing Olympic Games, August 24, 2008. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Kobe Bryant is guarded by Spain's Pau Gasol during their men's gold medal basketball match during the London 2012 Olympic Games, August 12, 2012. REUTERS/Mike Segar
Western Conference forward Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts in the second half during the NBA All Star Game in Toronto, Canada, February 14, 2016. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Kobe Bryant eyes the ball during the Lakers' game against the Portland Trailblazers in Los Angeles January 4, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant celebrates after scoring against the Boston Celtics during Game 3 of the 2010 NBA Finals, June 8, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Segar
Kobe Bryant reacts while being directed to the photo stage with Glen Keane after winning the Best Short Film (Animated) Award for "Dear Basketball" at the Academy Awards in Hollywood, March 4, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Jay-Z talks with Kobe Bryant before the start of the NBA All-Star basketball game in Houston, Texas, February 17, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
President Barack Obama slaps Kobe Bryant on the back as they put together care packages for the military and homeless people at the Boys and Girls Club of Washington, December 13, 2010. REUTERS/Jason Reed
First lady Michelle Obama hugs Kobe Bryant at the end of the men's preliminary round basketball match between the U.S. and France at the London Olympic Games, July 29, 2012. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor
Kobe Bryant and family pose for a photo during a halftime ceremony to retire his two numbers at Staples Center in Los Angeles, December 18, 2017. Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports