sortiwa
[ad_1]
Kobe Bryant was “one of the most extraordinary players” in the history of basketball who “inspired people around the world” to play the game.
The 41-year-old died in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
Bryant, who retired in 2016 after a 20-year career with the LA Lakers, was a five-time NBA champion and was named an NBA All-Star 18 times.
“The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
“For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning. He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary.
“But he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability.
“He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna.”
Shaquille O’Neal, who won three NBA titles with Bryant for the LA Lakers, said: “There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through with this tragedy of losing my niece Gigi & my brother, my partner in winning championships, my dude and my homie.
“I love you and you will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. I’m sick right now.”
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played for the Lakers from 1975-1989, said: “It’s very difficult for me to put in words how I feel. Kobe was an incredible family man, he loved his wife and daughters, he was an incredible athlete, he inspired a whole generation. This loss is hard to comprehend.”
Former US President Barack Obama wrote on Twitter: “Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act.”
Current US President Donald Trump said it was “terrible news”.
Bryant finished his playing career as the Lakers’ all-time leading points scorer, and is fourth on the NBA’s all-time list with 33,643 points.
In his 1,566th and final game for the Lakers in April 2016 he scored 60 points for the sixth time.
Some in the 18,000 sell-out crowd had paid upwards of $25,000 (£17,580) to be in the crowd to see the two-time Olympic gold medallist.
The Lakers retired both Bryant’s number eight and 24 jerseys in September 2017.
In 2018 he won an Oscar for his five-minute film Dear Basketball, based on a love letter to the sport he had written in 2015.
[ad_2]
Source link
