Flowers lie outside the entrance of the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in memory of Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash Sunday morning in Calabasas, Calif. Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were killed in the crash. Photo by John McCoy/UPI |
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Bryant and his daughter were headed to Mamba Sports Academy, a facility that Bryant created and coached at, for a girls basketball game when their helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances. Bryant coached Gianna's team, the Los Angeles Lady Mambas.
Bryant, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, retired from the league in 2016 after winning five NBA championships and one Most Valuable Player Award (2008) with the Lakers.
Before Sunday night's televised Grammy Awards ceremony, actors, musicians and other artists posted their condolences on social media. Athletes from every sport, including some of Bryant's previous teammates, also posted tributes.