NEW YORK: NBA and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash Sunday in Calabasas, California.
Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others on the same flight were also killed.
Bryant, 41, leaves behind a wife, Vanessa, and three surviving daughters – Natalia, Bianka and Capri, who was born only last year.
Bryant’s legacy cut across multiple fields – sports, entertainment, business – and social media erupted with messages and lamentations. Nike posted a poignant image in saying goodbye to Bryant, whose nickname was Black Mamba, Bloomberg reports.
Among his most successful investments was an early stake in the sports drink-maker BodyArmor. He reportedly put $6 million into the company in 2014, a stake that was worth an estimated $200 million after Coca-Cola took a majority stake in BodyArmor four years later.
In 2013 he co-founded Bryant Stibel, a venture capital firm, with Jeff Stibel. The firm has invested in more than two dozen companies, including video game publisher Epic Games, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.com, Cholula hot sauce, and athlete-centered media platform the Players Tribune.
He dabbled in media as well, launching a production company called Kobe Studios.
Bryant was a celebrated investor and businessman. He co-founded a venture capital firm in 2013 and in 2018 won an Academy Award for best animated short for 2017’s “Dear Basketball,” based on a poem he wrote announcing his retirement.
In 2010, Bryant spoke with Yahoo! Sports about his legacy. “When my career is over, I want them to think of me as an overachiever despite the talent that I have,” Bryant said. “To think of me as a person that’s overachieved, that would mean a lot to me. That means I put a lot of work in and squeezed every ounce of juice out of this orange that I could.”
Sportswear giant Nike, his biggest sponsor during his 20-year career that saw the “Black Mamba” win five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as post-retirement, offered this tribute: “Along with millions of athletes and fans throughout the world, we are devastated by today’s tragic news. We extend our deepest sympathies to those closest to Kobe and Gianna, especially their family and friends.
“As we are learning more details of the accident and the others who have tragically lost their lives, our heartfelt sympathies go out to everyone involved and impacted.
“Kobe was one of the greatest athletes of his generation and has had an immeasurable impact on the world of sport and the community of basketball. He was a beloved member of the Nike family. We will miss him greatly. Mamba forever.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement: “The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.
“For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning. He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary: five NBA championships, an NBA MVP award, 18 NBA All-Star selections, and two Olympic Gold medals. But he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability. He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Vanessa, and their family, the Lakers organization and the entire sports world.”
