Bryant was among nine people killed when a helicopter slammed into a hillside in Calabasas, California, the Los Angeles county sheriff’s department said. And in a sign that Bryant’s impact went deep into the city where he made his career, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti said he “will live forever in the heart of Los Angeles, and will be remembered through the ages as one of our greatest heroes". A 6-foot-6 small forward, Bryant was a gifted scorer whose intensity and work ethic became lore throughout the sports world. Son of a professional basketball player, Bryant moved to Italy when he was 6 after his father took a job with a team in Rieti. Paired with Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal, Bryant won his first NBA title in 2000, the first of three straight that the team would win.

Source: Mint January 27, 2020 17:26 UTC