Kobe Bryant‘s daughter Gianna Maria Onore Bryant, 13, died with him and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, CA on Sunday morning.
The chopper went down at 9:45 a.m. local time. There were no survivors.
Bryant was heading to his Mamba Academy in nearby Thousand Oaks, CA to coach his daughter Gianna’s 8th grade basketball team in a tournament. One or more of Gianna’s teammates was among the 9 killed in the crash.
In addition to Gianna, Bryant, 41, and his wife Vanessa share three other daughters – Natalia, Bianca and toddler Capri.
Bryant’s private twin engine Sikorsky S-76 helicopter had taken off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. The conditions were “extremely foggy” at the time.
Eyewitnesses tell TMZ the helicopter’s engine sputtered before it spiraled to the ground. The crash occurred on a hillside behind the home of reality TV personality Kourtney Kardashian.
Among the dead was John Altobelli, a baseball coach at Orange Coast College.
Bryant is pictured in 2018 with wife Vanessa and their daughters Natalia, 2nd from right, and Gianna, right.
Vanessa was not on board. Ex-Laker Rick Fox confirmed he was not among those killed in the crash, as rumors suggested.
A memorial to the Lakers legend is forming outside the Staples Center where he spent his entire 20-year career playing for the Lakers.
Bryant’s death came one day after his NBA all-time scoring record was passed by Lakers forward LeBron James (left). Bryant is now #4 on the all-time scoring list behind James.
NBA legend Michael Jordan, 56, paid tribute to Bryant in a statement:
“I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe and Gianna’s passing. Words cannot describe the pain I am feeling. I loved Kobe. He was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force. Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball. Yvette joins me in sending my deepest condolences to Vanessa, the Lakers organization and basketball around the world.”
