Kobe Bryant, one of basketball’s greatest players and masterful scorers of all-time, was among five people who died Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Bryant was 41 years old.
Bryant retired in 2016 as a five-time NBA champion, 11-time All-NBA first-team selection, 2008 MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 18-time All-Star and four-time All-Star MVP who spent his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
After the 2015-16 season, Bryant was the third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 33,643 points, but on Saturday in Philadelphia, Lakers star LeBron James scored 29 points and passed Bryant on the scoring list.