CLEVELAND — The sports world was rocked by the news of the tragic passing of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant on Sunday afternoon and memorials and support for his family poured in during the hours after reports of his death surfaced.
Bryant, along with his 13-year old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California Sunday afternoon, and in the wake of his passing, teams across the league, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, paid tribute to him.
“We stand in disbelief and shock at the horribly sad news of the tragic passing of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna,” the Cavaliers shared on Twitter. “Emotions and sentiments are very heavy for all of us and we extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Vanessa, and family.
“As one of the greatest to ever take the court, Kobe also had a very special, inspiring, iconic, global presence with the game of basketball and we will be forever grateful for his impact and miss him greatly.”
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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement following Bryant’s passing, and he remembered Bryant not just for his greatness on the basketball court, but how he was pushing the game forward for the next generation.
“The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna,” Silver said. “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.”
In 20 seasons with the Lakers, Bryant scored 33,643 points, pulled down 7,047 rebounds, handed out 6,306 assists, converted 44.7 percent of his 26,200 shots from the field and knocked down 1,827 three-pointers.
More than the numbers, Bryant’s success can be measured by the five championship teams he was a part of and the tireless work ethic and competitiveness, both on and off the court that led him to leave the game as the No. 3 scorer in league history.
Bryant left the game as a two-time NBA Finals MVP, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player, an 18-time NBA All-Star, four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, was selected to the All-NBA First Team 11 times and the NBA All-Defensive First Team on nine occasions.
Bryant was a two-time NBA scoring champion and winner of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1997.
Both of Bryant’s jersey numbers, 8 and 24, have been raised to the rafters at Staples Center next to fellow Lakers legends Earvin “Magic” Johnson, James Worthy, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Gail Goodrich, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal, Jerry West and Jamaal Wilkes.