NBA Superstar legend, Kobe Bean Bryant has been confirmed dead as a result of a tragic helicopter crash that happened in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning. The 41-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers basketball star’s death was confirmed by TMZ.
According to reports, Kobe Bryant was allegedly traveling in his own private helicopter when it crashed. Three other people that were onboard were also confirmed dead.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar who won five championships with the team was a talented player who will be surely missed. He was also often compared to Michael Jordan due to his prolific skills and successes in NBA.
Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the crash that happened in the morning hours. Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of the crash near Las Virgenes Rd and Willow Glen St in Calabasas at around 10am after a fire broke out.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation with witness reports stating that they heard an helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down.
The death of Kobe Bryant is still a shock to many
An 18-time NBA All-Star, Bryant was widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. He was voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and went on to win two gold medals with the USA Men’s Basketball team in 2008 and 2012.
In 2018, Bryant won an Academy Award for his short film, “Dear Basketball.” He is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and four daughters – Gianna, Natalia and Bianca and Capri.
Kobe played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA championships.
Kobe Bryant was also regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time as he once led the NBA in scoring during two seasons, ranked fourth on the league’s all-time regular season scoring and fourth on the all-time postseason scoring list. Bryant was the first guard in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons.
Bryant has been known to use a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter to travel for years – often flying from Newport Beach to the Staples Center for Lakers games.
Also read: Lebron James Surpasses Michael Jordan On NBA All Scoring Charts
