NBA legend Kobe Bryant, daughter among 9 killed in helicopter crash

RIP Kobe.

41 years old, way too young.

RIP

Even if you weren't a fan of basketball, you knew of the name Kobe Bryant. He was an absolute legend to the game.

And if it wasn't tragic enough already that he was killed in this helicopter crash. News outlets are also reporting that his 13 year old daughter is also among the deceased.... This is just absolutely horrific and heartbreaking for his family and friends :(

He was named after Kobe Beef

That is indeed true. Kobe's father named him after the expensive and renowned Japanese cut of meat, Kobe beef, after seeing it on a menu.

He is a NBA legend. RIP.

As a lifelong Lakers fan, I woke up to this news crying hard. I am actually going back to L.A. this Thursday and seeing their game vs Portland Friday. I am no doubt wearing my Kobe jersey Friday and will wear a memoriam patch if available. Rest in Peace Black Mamba!

KariHarukaToday 06:22 am JST

Even if you weren't a fan of basketball, you knew of the name Kobe Bryant. He was an absolute legend to the game.

Yes, I've never watched a game of basketball in my life and wouldn't know a slam from a dunk but I knew that he was one of the greatest players ever. RIP.

Reports are now coming in that it want just legend Kobe that died in the tragedy, there were 5 people in the crash who all died. One of them was Kobes daughter. Just horrible.

RIP to them all.

Very sad news. Kobe Bryant was the type of person that not only did a lot of good during his career as a professional athlete, but also after he retired. Those who knew him personally said he was a great person.

In 2003, Bryant was charged with attacking a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado resort. He had said the two had consensual sex. Prosecutors later dropped the felony sexual assault charge against Bryant at the request of the accuser.

Kobe and his young daughter died a horrible, horrible death. I don't think this was necessary to be added to the article. People make mistakes, it is what makes us human. We learn from them, we don't let them haunt us forever.

Anyway, I was never into sports, really, but the one sport I was the least... that, was basketball. R.I.P. to both of them, Kobe will be remembered as the legend that he is. 41 is too damn young... My thoughts and prayers go to his family.

A sad, sad day, especially for Los Angeles.

Rest in Peace

I’m shock and hurt, this is a big loss to the sports world Basketball and LA. My entire family were Lakers fans for years and years, we grew up in a family and community obsessed with the Lakers, it was always about the Lakers. But Kobe was most definitely a Great man, great role model, stayed out of politics, class act, wonderful family man, he will greatly be missed. Deepest condolences to his family.

RIP

Kobe was a great man who loved the game and gave more than he got from it. It's a very sad day for the sport.

Like everyone else, the news hit me like a punch in the gut. Not only was he one of the greatest players of all time, he was a force of nature. Condolences to the friends and families of all victims of the horrific accident.

RIP Kobe and Gigi....so sad T_T

When Kobe played few months in France during his childhood, coach told him he will never be professional as his father....look what you have done! You did so much for basketball and on that night with 81 points, you became even more a legend.

I'm heartbroken to hear about the crash and so many people died. May everyone RIP.

Rip Kobe and all the other victims. Tragic story

Surreal, just last night they were celebrating him when LeBron passed him for 3rd in the NBA all-time scoring list

Almost 14 years to the day when Kobe scored his career-high 81 points in a game. He was the closest characteristic-wise to Michael Jordan

RIP to everyone who died, Mamba out

@cracaphat

“The mentioning of it was fine,but why did it have to be last?”

They mentioned it, that’s fair enough.

It was hardly going to be the first paragraph of the story.

Great basketball player but the 2003 rape allegations and subsequent payoff out of court will always leave a black mark to many.

Yeah great, knock on a guy the day he died!

@FizzBit

Those who played with/are close to Kobe are paying their respects to both him and his eldest daughter. I wanted to refrain from mentioning her at first as I hoped that it was the media getting their facts wrong. However the media aren't the only ones know who have included her in the list of casualties..

Terrible. His daughter was just thirteen and looking forward to her life. It is sad but tragedy l ike this happens every day all around the world. RIP to all the victims.

Haven't been this stunned by the passing of a celebrity since Paul Walker. Here today gone tomorrow...

Well that was shocking news to wake up to this morning. I’m still trying to process it. I don’t follow the NBA much now, but throughout the 90s and early 2000s, I was obsessed with basketball and the Lakers. I remember having a Kobe Bryant poster on my wall during university. It’s huge loss to the sporting world. Kobe was an absolute legend.

Kobe only admitted to speaking English and Italian, but once, a reporter wanted to interview him in Spanish - Kobe waited for a translator but when none came, he decided just to do the interview by himself in Spanish

Eerie that this occurred the day after Lebron passed him on the the all-time scoring list.

Damn.

RIP to you and your little one...

Legend!!

His mark is not just in his own achievements on the basketball court, as impressive as it was!!

It was that he inspired youth to play and to achieve!! And, indeed, he did so at the global level like no one before him!! In Europe, in Asia! Everywhere!

He is gone far too young, but his was a life lived to the fullest!

That his daughter's life was cut short is perhaps the greatest tragedy, a future never to be realized.

RIP

depends on the altitude but we learned that a chopper can auto rotate to a hard landing in the event of power loss

must of been a loss of controls

Even if you weren't a fan of basketball, you knew of the name Kobe Bryant. He was an absolute legend to the game.

True. I can name about 5 basketball players and he’s one of them.

Sad story, particularly his daughter.

Others in the crash include:

13-year-old Alyssa Altobelli, a teammate of Gianna's, along with her parents Keri and John

Coach Christina Mauser, and Sarah Chester and her middle-schooler daughter Payton

Helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan

This is beyond devastating. I have no words....

The mentioning of it was fine,but why did it have to be last?

There is no need to mention something that never went to court! It's just titillation!

Yrral: "He was named after Kobe Beef"

Which isn't even raised in Kobe.

To the thread at hand, though, RIP to one of sports' leaders. A legend indeed. This is shocking.

Great basketball player but the 2003 rape allegations and subsequent payoff out of court will always leave a black mark to many.

Hopefully the other people killed won't be ignored.

@LongTermer, what I’m hearing is controlled flight into terrain...pilot was scud running.

Typical media, was not necessary to bring that up at the end.

The video of the crash was horrible. The chopper entered a death spiral.

He was named after Kobe Beef

Naturally, not one of my coworkers has even heard of him. RIP.