‘An inspiration’ | NBA marks 5 years since death of Kobe Bryant

On Sunday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement marking five years since Bryant’s death.

ATLANTA — Sunday marks a somber milestone for the basketball and wider sports worlds, as it has been five years since Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles.

The tragic crash occurred on January 26, 2020, as Bryant and the rest of the group were on their way to a basketball game. The helicopter went down amid foggy conditions in the area.

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On Sunday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement marking five years since Bryant’s death.

“Kobe Bryant continues to serve as an inspiration to aspiring and current NBA and WNBA players, young athletes playing at all levels and those who are motivated solely by his relentless pursuit of excellence,” Commissioner Silver said. “Our thoughts today are with Vanessa and the Bryant family as we remember Kobe and their daughter, Gianna, with whom he shared a special bond around a profound love of the game of basketball.”

In Atlanta after the tragedy, a mural was painted along the Beltline in Bryant’s honor. Fans were touched here and around the world for the Los Angeles Lakers legend, who had spent much of his post-career coaching his daughter and growing girls’ basketball.

Bryant, who after his career was admired for how proudly he leaned into being a “girl dad,” has three other daughters — Natalia, 22; Bianka, 8; and Capri, 5, who was less than one year old at the time of her father’s death.

Bianka made headlines last year when Vanessa Bryant posted a video of her practicing with WNBA superstar Sabrina Ionescu. 

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