Former NBA star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California Sunday morning.
Nine people were on board the Sikorsky S-76 when it went down Sunday around 10 a.m. Pacific standard time.
Bryant spent his entire 20-year-career with the Los Angeles Lakers as a shooting guard, before retiring in 2016.
He was 41 years old and is survived by his wife Vanessa and their three other daughters — Natalia and Bianca and newborn Capri.
#Update Downed aircraft is a helicopter. Flames extinguished. #Malibu deputies at crash site looking for survivors, 4200 blk Las Virgenes Rd #Calabasas #LASD pic.twitter.com/eixLhGhLyE
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) January 26, 2020
Bryant is widely considered to be one of the greatest NBA players of all time. He made 18 All-Star teams during his career with the Lakers. He was a first-round pick in the 1996 draft and went on to win five NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs, and was the league MVP in 2008.
In the last game of his career, Bryant scored 60 points.
During retirement, he has written children’s books and produced animated stories, in addition to pursuing various media and business projects with his Granity Studios.
The longtime Laker retired as the NBA’s third all-time leading scorer with 33,643 points, was slated to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on the first ballot this summer, alongside Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
The Lakers retired both of his jerseys, number 8 and 24, making him the only player in team history to receive that honor.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office says there were no survivors in the crash, which occurred on a hillside.
Bryant tweeted on Saturday, congratulating fellow Laker Lebron James on passing him as the third all-time scorer in the NBA:
Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother 💪🏾 #33644
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) January 26, 2020
The cause of the crash is under investigation
This is a developing story.