Basketball legend Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash alongside three others

BY DARREN WELLS, NEIL MURPHY

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant reportedly died in a helicopter crash in California, it has been reported.

The NBA legend enjoyed a glittering 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers during his prime.

TMZ report Bryant was travelling in his private helicopter when it crashed in Calabasas on Sunday morning.

The chopper is said to have been on fire after going down, as emergency services battled in vain to save those on board.

Five people have been confirmed dead as a result of the crash, which is now under investigation.

Bryant’s wife Vanessa is not believed to have been involved in the accident.

Bryant is one of five passengers confirmed dead as a result of the crash.

The pair share four daughters, Gianna, Natalia and Bianca and their newborn Capri.

Bryant, 41, regularly used his Sikorsky S-76 helicopter to travel to and from matches at the Staples Center for years.

The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, he started his career for the Lakers in 1996 after becoming the first guard to be drafted straight out of high school by the Hornets, who immediately traded him.

He grew up in Philadelphia, and had attended Lower Merion High School in the state of Pennsylvania.

There he developed a reputation as a leading star of the future, and was soon making headlines as a rookie in the NBA.

Bryant won the 1997 Slam Dunk contest, and was named an All-Star in his second season.

Forming a formidable relationship with Shaquille O’Neal on the court, Bryant helped the Lakers win three back-to-back NBA championships from 2000-2002.

After being awarded most valuable player in 2008, Bryant added a further two championships to his and the Lakers’ tally, once again winning them consecutively in 2009 and 2010.

His haul of five titles is the joint-highest total in franchise history, and he remains the Lakers’ all-time leading points scorer.

The shooting guard wore numbers eight and 24 during his career, which were both retired by the Lakers in December 2017.