Michael Jordan is among those mourning the tragic death of Kobe Bryant.
Bryant was killed in a plane crash in Calabasas Sunday morning at age 41, TMZ Sports first reported. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also onboard and killed.
Estee Portnoy, the manager and spokeswoman for Jordan, 56, released a statement on Twitter on behalf of the NBA legend.
“I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe’s and Gianna’s passing,” the statement began. “Words can’t describe the pain I’m feeling. I loved Kobe – he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often and I will miss those conversations very much.”
“He was a fierce competitor, one of the greats of the game and a creative force,” the statement continued. “Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply – and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball.”
Statement from Michael Jordan: pic.twitter.com/oI7w6e7HLI
— Estee Portnoy (@esteep) January 26, 2020
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Jordan’s statement concluded, “Yvette joins me in sending my deepest condolences to Vanessa, the Lakers organization, and basketball fans around the world.”
Both Jordan — who retired in 2003 — and Bryant have long been considered two of the most accomplished players to ever pick up a basketball. Until the day before his death, Bryant was the third-leading scorer in NBA history, but was surpassed by LeBron James.
Bryant and Gianna were together onboard the private helicopter when it went down on Sunday, reps for the former basketball player told TMZ Sports.
Emergency personnel responded but none of the nine people onboard survived, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said during a press conference.
RELATED: Kobe Bryant’s Daughter Gianna, 13, Dead Alongside Father in Calabasas Helicopter Crash
Sources told ESPN that the helicopter was headed to a travel basketball game for Gianna.
Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa, 37, and their three other daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months.
from PEOPLE.com https://ift.tt/37Fif5H
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