Kobe Bryant's death triggered an outpouring of grief and sent shockwaves across the globe. Kobe Bryant, a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and two-time Olympic gold medallist, died in a helicopter crash in suburban Los Angeles that also claimed the life of his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. Hours after news of Kobe Bryant's death, LA Lakers star LeBron James was seen in tears after his team's plane touched down in California on Sunday. In a video doing the rounds on social media, a visibly emotional James is seen hugging people and wiping away his tears after exiting the team plane.
Incidentally, Bryant was passed by current Lakers star LeBron James for third on the all-time NBA scoring list in a Saturday game at Philadelphia.
Kobe Bryant's final post on social media had been a tweet congratulating James on surpassing him.
"Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames," Bryant wrote. "Much respect my brother #33644".
Kobe Bryant died on Sunday when a helicopter he was in crashed and burst into flames in thick fog, killing all nine people on board including his teenage daughter.
Bryant, 41, was travelling with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers and crew when their Sikorsky S-76 helicopter slammed into a rugged hillside in Calabasas, west of Los Angeles. There were no survivors.
Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in history, an iconic figure who became one of the faces of his sport during a glittering two-decade career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
(With AFP inputs)