Hyderabad: It's hard to believe that NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, who was considered by many to be the best basketball player of all time and was often compared with Michael Jordan as one of the greatest of all time, is gone.
Bryant, 41, was one of nine people on the helicopter when it plummeted to the ground in Calabasas, 65 kilometers west of Los Angeles, and burst into flames.
Bryant's oldest daughter Gianna, 13, was reportedly among those who died.
An 18-time All-Star, Bryant was known for his remarkable scoring ability wih his turnaround jump shot almost being unstoppable. Teaming up with fellow All-Star Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe won three consecutive NBA titles from 2000 to 2002 and later won two more rings, in 2009 and 2010.
Bryant was known as the Black Mamba
Being known as the Black Mamba, Bryant twice led the NBA in scoring and won the league's Most Valuable Player award in 2008.
Kobe Bryant's Achievements Born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryant went straight from high school to the NBA after being drafted by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th overall pick of the 1996 draft, making him the youngest NBA player in history at age 17. He was then traded by the Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers for veteran center Vlade Divac.
Won two Olympic gold medals
Kobe soon established himself as one of the most decorated players in NBA history, while also winning two Olympic gold medals for the USA men's basketball team in 2008 and 2012.
Kobe Bryant's Achievements On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored 81 points in Lakers' 122-104 win over Toronto. Only Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962 tops this performance.
Finished his NBA career with 33,643 points
In his career's final game in 2016, Kobe scored 60 points on 50 shots, thus helping the Lakers win against the Utah Jazz at a frenzied Staples Center in Los Angeles. He thus finished his NBA career with 33,643 points.
Regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of basketball, Kobe Bryant will remain in our hearts forever.
