Lakers legend Kobe Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash on in California Sunday. The world is in a state of mourning as it has lost one of its greatest sporting icons. Various sports stars and teams have paid their tribute to the Basketball behemoth. Bryant, widely celebrated as one of the greatest players in the game ranks fourth in the NBA all-time scoring list and led his beloved Lakers to five championship titles and was an 18-time all-star in an illustrious career that lasted for two decades. Kobe Bryant Dies at 41 in Helicopter Crash; Twitter Mourns NBA Legend's Demise, Read Tributes.

Son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, Kobe declared himself for the 1996 NBA draft after graduating from high school and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the 13th pick. After being traded to the Lakers, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and soon became a fan favourite. Bryant’s name is etched in golden letters in Lakers history as he is the all-time leading point’s scorer in the franchise history and in his third full season as a pro was selected to start the all-star game and he would continue to be selected to start the game for 18-consecutive years until his retirement, an all-time record. Kobe has a record that very few can match, he reached the 40 points mark in eight seasons and eleven times he had 10 or more assists, earning him the nickname ‘Magic Mamba’ after the great Magic Johnson. Kobe Bryant, NBA Legend, Dies At 41 in California Helicopter Crash, Say Reports.

Sports Fraternity Pay their Tributes

FC Barcelona

Former Lakers Team-mate Player Pau Gasol

Basketball Hall Of Fame

UFC Legend Micheael Bisping

Andres Iniesta

Jasprit Bumrah

Ronaldinho

Indiana Pacers

UFC Great Daniel Cormier

VVS Laxman

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

After conquering everything in the court, the legend proved himself in the film industry as well. Bryant won an Oscar in 2018 for producing a short animated film called Dear Basketball which came out in 2017. It was a tribute to Kobe’s poem written in The Player’s Tribune, Chicago in 2017, which made him the first NBA player to win this prestigious award.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 27, 2020 08:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).