Kobe Bryant dead at 41: Tiger Woods, Nick Kyrgios, Shaquille O’Neal and Liverpool stars Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah among those to pay tribute
Tributes from the sporting world and beyond poured in for Kobe Bryant after he died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
Bryant, 41, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other people who have yet to be named tragically lost their lives when the basketball legend's private aircraft went down in flames in Calabasas near Los Angeles, California.
Bryant, who was a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
He played for the Los Angeles Lakers throughout his 20-year NBA career before retiring in 2016 and won five NBA Championships.
He won two Olympic gold medals for the USA too, while his influence extended beyond basketball as he was awarded an Oscar for his short film “Dear Basketball" in 2018.
His tragic death has sparked an outpouring of grief and a host of sports stars past and present, and high-profile celebrities, have been paying tribute to the sporting icon and his daughter on social media.
Former US president Barack Obama tweeted: "Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents.
"Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day."
Former LA Lakers teammate Shaquille O'Neal shared an emotional message on Instagram.
There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through now with this tragic and sad moment of loosing my neice Gigi & my friend, my brother, my partner in winning championships, my dude and my homie" he wrote.
"I love you and you will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW."
Michael Jordan, arguably the most famous basketball player of all time, described Bryant as like his "little brother".
He said: "I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe's and Gianna's passing. 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. 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."
The National Basketball Players Association tweeted: "We are stunned and devastated by the news of the sudden passing of Kobe Bryant. Words cannot express his impact on our players, the NBA and the game of basketball. This is a monumental loss for the entire basketball community and our hearts are quite simply broken. We send love and prayers out to his wife Vanessa and the entire family."
Another former Laker, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, tweeted: "Most people will remember Kobe as the magnificent athlete who inspired a whole generation of basketball players. But I will always remember him as a man who was much more than an athlete."
Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar paid tribute to Bryant after scoring a penalty in Paris Saint-Germain's game against Lille on Sunday night.
The Brazilian used his fingers to make the number 24 - Bryant's shirt number - before praying.
Manchester City's Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were among a host of Premier League stars to pay their respects to Bryant and his daughter on social media.
Golf legend Tiger Woods, a friend of Bryant's and a lifelong LA Lakers fan, called his death "one of the most shocking, tragic days that I’ve ever been a part of in a very quick span here."