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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Ryan Merrifield

Kobe Bryant’s daughter practices basketball skills weeks before her tragic death

A heartbreaking clip has emerged of Kobe Bryant's daughter Gianna practicing basketball just weeks before she was tragically killed.

The 13-year-old who had inherited her dad's knack for shooting hoops is seen in high heels and a dress in a training session alongside other players in full kit.

The tragic teenager, who died alongside NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Bryant in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning, is seen scoring hoops and then dribbling the ball.

The footage was shared on Instagram in the hours of the crash and showcases her natural talent, as she casually loops the ball back and forth between her legs.

Heart-wrenching footage shows Kobe Bryant’s daughter Gianna, 13, practicing her basketball skills (Instagram/officialbck)
Footage shared to Instagram show 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, daughter of Kobe Bryant, masterfully practicing her basketball skills in heels (Instagram/officialbck)

Other players are seen in the background running training drills around cones as coaches watch on.

As well as Bryant and Gianna, known as GiGi, four other victims of the crash - which killed a total of nine - have been named.

Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, 56, his daughter Alyssa Altobelli and wife Keri Altobelli were aboard the helicopter which crashed in Calabasas, CA.

Gianna Bryant often attended basketball games with dad Kobe (Getty Images)

While Christina Mauser, an assistant girls basketball coach at a private elementary school in Orange County, has also been identified as the sixth victim.

Gianna and Alyssa were teammates at the Mamba Academy and the group were flying from Orange County to Thousand Oaks to attend a game.

Air traffic reports show that the chopper circled for more than 15 minutes before its final, fatal descent around 21 miles (35km) from downtown Los Angeles. An investigation is ongoing.

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

Bryant regularly used his Sikorsky S-76 helicopter to travel to and from matches at the Staples Centre, the LA Lakers' home stadium.

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