Kobe Bryant built himself into a global icon over the course of his 20-year NBA career, so it is little surprise that tributes poured in from all corners of the United States and beyond when the 41-year-old basketball legend died in a helicopter crash in California Sunday morning.
West Virginia is no exception, with several current and former WVU athletes paying tribute to Bryant on social media.
None were more affected than Mountaineers legend Jerry West.
“To wake up to this news, this has been one of the most horrible days of my life,” West said in an interview with CBS Los Angeles, his voice breaking.