DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Kobe Bryant reportedly killed in California helicopter crash

Damn, I hope somehow this isn't true.

https://nypost.com

Kobe Bryant reportedly killed in California helicopter crash

Legendary NBA player Kobe Bryant has died in a California helicopter crash, a report said Sunday.

He was 41.

Bryant was among at least four people traveling in his private helicopter over Calabasas when a fire broke out, sending the chopper spiraling from the sky, according to TMZ Sports.

There were no survivors, and the cause of the crash is under investigation, according to TMZ.

Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, was not among those aboard the chopper, according to the report.

Bryant starred for two decades with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships and making 18 All-Star Games before retiring after the 2016 season.

Woj just confirmed it. Sounds official. Very sad

Just shows that no one ever knows when it's their time.

My prayers go out to his family and friends.

Source: Kobe Bryant among dead in helicopter crash
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28569438/kobe-bryant-dead-helicopter-crash

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is among five people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, a source confirmed to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The crash comes one day after Bryant was passed by Lakers forward LeBron James for third place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. As late as 10:39 p.m. ET on Saturday night, Bryant was active on social media, congratulating Bryant on Twitter during the Lakers 108-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

James inscribed his sneakers with "Mamba 4 Life" and "8/24 KB" in gold marker before the game, showing respect for Bryant, an 18-time All-Star with the Lakers who is eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. All week, in the lead-up to the milestone, he was quick to laud Bryant.

"It's another guy that I looked up to when I was in grade school and high school," James said. "Seeing him come straight out of high school, he is someone that I used as inspiration. It was like, wow. Seeing a kid, 17 years old, come into the NBA and trying to make an impact on a franchise, I used it as motivation. He helped me before he even knew of me because of what he was able to do. So, just to be able to, at this point of my career, to share the same jersey that he wore, be with this historical franchise and just represent the purple and gold, it's very humbling and it's dope.

"Kobe's a legend, that's for damn sure."

A 6-foot, 6-inch small forward with the ability to swing up front and play point or shooting guard, Bryant entered the NBA straight out of high school. In 1996, he became the youngest player in NBA history.

He won five NBA titles in his time with the Lakers, as well as two Olympic gold medals playing for the United States. Now fourth on the NBA's all-time scoring list, with 33,643 points, Bryant won two NBA Finals MVP awards and one NBA regular-season MVP nod in 2008.

A native of Philadelphia, Bryant was selected No. 13 overall in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Lakers. He wore both No. 8 and 24 with the Lakers, both of which were retired by the franchise.

"I'm happy just to be in any conversation with Kobe Bean Bryant. One of the all-time greatest basketball players to ever play, one of the all-time greatest Lakers," Bryant said Saturday night. "The man got two jerseys hanging up in Staples Center. It's just crazy."

On November 29, 2015, Bryant announced that he intended to retire at the end of the season, which launched a farewell tour for the ages around the NBA. He played in 66 games that season for Los Angeles, averaging 17.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

In his final game, on April 13, 2016, he scored 60 points, leading the Lakers past the Utah Jazz 101-96.

Bryant's death was first reported by TMZ.

One of the greatest basketball players ever. R.I.P Kobe.

Unreal. Sad news.

I remember my youngest son watching his final game of his career with me where he scored 61 points.

His last tweet after LeBron passed him just last night on the all time scoring list...

Man, terrible.

Terrible for all involved and their families.

I'm pretty much a Laker hater, and this is just crushing news. Can't believe it.

Same here. Didn't know how to say it like you did.

They are reporting the second oldest daughter I believe was also with him.

Oh man.

Yes. I was shocked when I read this. He had what most everyone thinks would be a great life: Fame, money, family, a life of ease. (I won't go into any indiscretions there may have been.)

He woke up this morning, like all of us, with plans for the day. And now he's dead. No age is a good age to die. Again - not something I expected to hear. Nor did anyone else.

I've been watching the coverage on TV. Very sad news indeed. Just at the point where he could choose to relax and enjoy the fruits of his labor, tragedy strikes. My sympathy goes out to his friends and family.

Awful...

Living in LA my whole life Kobe has been a giant. He got drafted as a teenager and people got to see him grow up. And then he never left. He's basically apart of people's families here. I've never seen anyone defend a person as hard as I've seen people defend Kobe here in LA.

Even more tragic than the loss of Kobe is the loss of his daughter. These are the worst kinds of stories.

j/c...

Listening to Sports talk right now is rough. People are crushed.

Just devastating

I'm still yelling Kobe when i shoot the J. RIP

j/c...

Devastating...

Praying for his family ...

I heard reported on the golf tournament, his 13 year old daughter was with him.

So sad.

This is just terrible, and it hurts my heart. RIP Kobe and to all in the crash.

So sad.... just unreal....

His fame surpassed the sport. A true international icon

So horrible to hear about this. RIP to all who lost their lives and condolences to their families.Reminds me a little bit of Roberto Clemente's death in a plane accident in 1972.

Awful news. Prayers.

j/c...

My goodness, seems like poor visibility due to fog and just crashed into the side of the hill/mountain...

Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli among helicopter crash victims
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2857...r-crash-victims

Orange Coast College baseball coaching legend John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter Alyssa were among the victims in Sunday's helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

Altobelli was a coach at OCC for 27 years, leading the Pirates to four state titles and notching more than 700 wins. He was 56.

"John meant so much to not only Orange Coast College, but to baseball," OCC athletic director Jason Kehler said in a statement. "He truly personified what it means to be a baseball coach. The passion that he put into the game, but more importantly his athletes, was second to none -- he treated them like family. Our deepest condolences go out to the Altobelli family during this time of tragedy."

ESPN's Jeff Passan spoke to Mets star Jeff McNeil, who played for Altobelli in 2012, when Altobelli managed the Brewster Whitecaps, a collegiate, summer baseball team in the Cape Cod League.

"He's one of the main reasons I'm still playing professional baseball," McNeil told ESPN of Altobelli.

McNeil said he had a poor first two years at Long Beach State. His coaches there asked Altobelli to bring McNeil to Brewster anyway.

"He took a chance on me, kept me the whole summer. Him taking that chance on me, having me on his team, got me drafted," McNeil said.

"He made you believe in your ability. I remember when we first got to the Cape, he said, 'You're here for a reason. You've just got to believe you can do it. If you want to steal, steal. Play your game. Do what you guys want to do. Enjoy it. Have fun with it. This is gonna be one of the best summers of your life.'"

Evidently there were 9 people killed in this accident.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/rick-...t-eight-others/

Kobe Bryant's tragic death Sunday led to quite a bit of scrambling on the part of reporters anxious to get every detail first. During that process, a number of elements of the helicopter crash that led to Bryant's death were incorrectly reported and later proven to be false.

One such detail involves the presence of Bryant's former teammate, Rick Fox, on the helicopter that crashed. While the origin of the rumor that Fox was one of the passengers in the crash is unknown at this time, that false information spread quickly across social media. Later Sunday, a number of reporters confirmed that Fox was not in the crash. Jared Greenberg of NBATV spoke with Fox himself and confirmed that he was not involved.

"At this time, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has only revealed that there were nine people on the helicopter at the time of the crash. Those people have not yet been identified, though various sources have confirmed that Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among them. Separate reporting has also confirmed that John Altobelli, a baseball coach at Orange Coast College, was onboard the helicopter alongside his wife, Keri, and daughter, Alyssa."

Despite the falsehood of the rumor, Fox is still trending on Twitter as of this writing. While tracing the belief back to its source would be impossible at this point, the mere fact that his name became entangled with Bryant's death prematurely points to the irresponsible manner in which some reporters have handled the news. A number of falsehoods about passengers on board the helicopter have spread through social media.

Until the Sheriff's Department receives a report from the coroner, it will not publicly reveal who was on the helicopter with Bryant. It has been confirmed, however, that Fox was not among them.

https://preview.redd.it/ji4z1g88g8d41.jp...0209e1e790f60a7

MBS in the Purple and Gold for Kobe. <3

j/c...

He was an assassin on the court, an unparalleled competitive drive.

It’s was his grind, his work ethic that took him to heights.

We should all be so fortunate

j/c...

Kobe's Birthday Gift to Vanessa

RIP

So many touching tributes, from both the world of sports and outside of it

Saw this on Facebook yesterday,, Had to think that at first, can't be. But it was true..

RIP Kobe and GG and the rest that perished in the crash

That's not really the black box recording. That's the tower recording.

This eye witness account explains what I think happened. It looks like the helicopter was in the fog about 1400 feet up and then got clearance to cross the canyon. Then took off straight into the hillside at 184 mph... It seems to me like someone in the control tower might be at fault here as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28QYy8lrww8