The basketball world was hit with stunning news on Sunday when multiple outlets reported that Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. Bryant was reportedly among the five people onboard the helicopter that crashed on a hillside near Malibu.
The LA County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that all five people onboard died in the crash, but the department did not state whether Bryant was onboard. Bryant was among fatalities, according to ABC7 in Los Angeles and Variety. the According to the TMZ report, Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, was not a passenger on the private helicopter.
Bryant had been in the news because LeBron James passed him Saturday night on the all-time NBA scoring list; Bryant sent a tweet congratulating LeBron at 10:39 p.m. Saturday night.
Kobe Bryant was 41 years old.
As news of the tragic crash hit social media, the sports world was understandably shocked by the reports.
