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Brazilian author, working on book with Kobe, elects to delete draft

SAO PAULO -- Kobe Bryant and Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho were working together on a children's book, but the author of "The Alchemist" said he deleted the draft after Bryant's death in helicopter crash.

The 72-year-old novelist told The Associated Press Monday that the two men started discussing the project in 2016, when Bryant retired after a 20-year NBA career. They began writing a few months ago.

Within hours of hearing of Bryant's death Sunday, Coelho announced that he would delete the draft, rather than finish without the 41-year-old five-time NBA champion.

"I deleted the draft because it didn't make any sense to publish without him," Coelho said by phone on Monday from his home in Geneva.