Kobe Bryant, a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and two-time Olympic gold medallist, died aged 41 in a helicopter crash in suburban Los Angeles that also claimed the life of his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
Bryant is considered by many as one of the greatest basketball players in history. He played his entire 20-season career with the Lakers after making his debut in 1996. Born on August 23, 1978, he played as guard for the Lakers through his career.
Watch: Dear Basketball, the poem and film that won NBA legend Kobe Bryant an Oscar
Here’s a fact file on the icon’s career:
- Won five NBA championships – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010
- Named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in leading Lakers to titles in 2009 and 2010
- Earned Olympic gold medals with USA at 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics
- Named NBA regular-season MVP in 2007-08 season and a record-tying four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP – 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011
- On January 22, 2006 scored a career-high 81 points in Lakers’ 122-104 victory over Toronto, second-most points in a game in NBA history
- Named an NBA All-Star 18 times - 1998 and 2000-2016
- Two-time NBA scoring champion - 2006 and 2007
- 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner
- Had both his jersey numbers, 8 and 24, retired by the Lakers
- Scored 33,643 points, grabbed 7,047 rebounds and passed off 6,306 assists over 1,346 career NBA games
- Scored a season-high 60 points in his last NBA game on April 13, 2016 in a 101-96 Lakers’ victory over Utah, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to score 60 points at 37 years and 234 days
An incredibly tragic day: Fans, players react to NBA legend Kobe Bryant’s death in helicopter crash
Watch some of Bryant’s greatest moments on the court here:
(With inputs from AFP)