Kobe Bryant death: Watch devastated LeBron James break down after hearing shocking news at LA airport
LA Lakers star LeBron James was seen in tears while hugging multiple people after the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
As per a video from NBC, James had recently landed in LA with his teammates after a game in Bryant's hometown Philadelphia. James had passed Bryant with around 33,655 points in order to become the third-highest scorer in NBA history. During the game, James paid tribute to Bryant by sporting shoes that read 'Mamba 4 Life'.
Bryant on January 25 took to Twitter, congratulating James for surpassing him as the third-highest scorer in NBA history. He had tweeted, "Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother #33644."
James had said Bryant had been an inspiration for him throughout his basketball career. After Bryant's death, James recalled the first time that he had ever met him. "Just admiring him for so many years and seeing him from afar, and then being able to be in practices with him, and me watching and learning — it’s just too much. The story is just too much. It doesn’t make sense," James said.
"And just to make a long story short, now I’m here in a Lakers uniform in Philadelphia, where he’s from, where the first time I ever met him he gave me his shoes, it’s just surreal," he added. We had previously reported that Bryant had been traveling with nine people when his helicopter crashed on Sunday.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, "There were no survivors. We have a manifest to indicate there were nine people on board the aircraft. The pilot plus eight individuals." It was also confirmed that Bryant's wife Vanessa wasn't on board. Bryant widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all-time was a first-round pick in the 1996 draft.
Bryant had one of the greatest careers in recent NBA history and became one of the game’s most popular players as the face of the 16-time NBA champion Lakers franchise. He was the league MVP in 2008 and a two-time NBA scoring champion, and he earned 12 selections to the NBA’s All-Defensive teams.