We have some very tragic news to bring you today, as TMZ is reporting that NBA legend Kobe Bryant has passed away at the age of 41 following a helicopter crash. Details on what exactly happened are still coming to light, but multiple outlets have confirmed that the beloved athlete has died.
From what we understand, he was riding in the helicopter along with 3 others early this morning when it went down in a crash and caught fire. No one made it out alive, apparently, and while it’s still unclear what what went wrong and what caused it to crash, an investigation is now underway and we hope to learn more soon.
Of course, Kobe will always be remembered for his incredible career in the NBA, having become one of the greatest to ever play the game. Alongside Shaquille O’Neal, he led the Los Angeles Lakers to multiple championships, snagging numerous MVP awards along the way and making it to 18 All-Star Games.
His impressive accomplishments don’t end there, either, as Bryant was also the youngest player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points and became the all-time leading scorer in Lakers history in February 2010, surpassing Jerry West. Again, he was one of the greatest to ever play the game and it’s unlikely that we’ll see too many others reach the heights that he did while he was part of the NBA.
In regards to his personal life, Kobe was married to his wife Vanessa Bryant and had four children with her: Bianka, Gianna, Natalia, and Capri.
RIP Kobe Bryant. You were a true legend on the court and played the game on a different level than almost anyone else. You’ll definitely be missed.
