Former pro basketball player, Kobe Bryant, won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers while establishing himself as one of the game’s all-time greats. Sadly, he died tragically in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.
Kobe Bryant: Early Days and Career
Kobe Bryant spent his early years in Italy and joined the NBA straight out of high school. A dominant scorer, Bryant won five NBA championships and the 2008 MVP Award with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although later seasons were marred by injuries, he surpassed Michael Jordan for third place on the NBA all-time scoring list in December 2014 and retired in 2016 after scoring 60 points in his final game.
Death
Bryant was onboard a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter that crashed in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas. Nine people, including Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna “Gigi”, lost their lives. The helicopter was on its way from Orange County to Thousands Oaks, California where Bryant was scheduled to coach a tournament game at Mamba Sport Academy.
