More details have been released regardingKobe Bryant‘s tragic death.
Villanueva confirmed a total of nine victims, the pilot and eight others, died in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed the aircraft was a Sikorsky S-76.
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The crash is currently under investigation.
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Bryant was reportedly traveling in his private helicopter when it went down, according toTMZ. The outlet says that Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, was not on board.
Spokespersons for Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Kobe Bryant, Vanessa Bryant and family.Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images
Since the start of his basketball career, Bryant, the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, was one of the most accomplished men in the NBA, having played all 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant entered the NBA straight out of high school in the 1996 draft, becoming the first guard ever drafted directly out school. During his time in the NBA, he went on to become an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA team and 12-time All-Defensive team member. In 2008, he was named NBA’s Most Valuable Player. After losing the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant helped lead the Lakers to championships in both 2009 and 2010, earning him the Finals MVP award.
At the age of 34, Bryant suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Though he recovered, he later suffered career-ending injuries to his knee and shoulder. Bryant retired after the 2015-2016 season, during which time he was still considered among the top players in the NBA.
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After the game, Bryant congratulated James on his latest milestone.
“On to #2 @kingjames! Keep growing the game and charting the path for the next,” the retired star shared on Instagram.
“Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother ?? #33644,” Bryant tweeted.
source: people.com
