NBA great Kobe Bryant and daughter among 9 killed in helicopter crash near Los Angeles

'MUCH MORE THAN AN ATHLETE'

"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," Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the all-time NBA scoring leader and former Laker, said on Twitter.

Bryant was accused of sexual assault in 2003 by a woman who worked at a Colorado hotel, tarnishing his reputation and setting off a media storm over the case. Bryant denied the accusations, and charges eventually were dismissed after his accuser refused to testify.

Bryant and his wife filed for divorce in 2011 after 10 years of marriage, but the couple said in 2013 they had reconciled.

Besides Gianna, they had three other daughters: Natalia, Bianca and Capri, who was born in June 2019.

Bryant, who played all 20 of his NBA seasons with the Lakers, also won two Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team in 2008 and 2012.

Nicknamed "The Black Mamba," he became eligible to enter the Hall of Fame this year and is certain to be selected when the 2020 class is enshrined.

Bryant demonstrated from an early age he would surpass the accomplishments of his father, who played eight seasons in the NBA.

The Philadelphia native went straight from high school to the NBA, skipping the college ranks. Since he was just 17 at the time, his parents needed to co-sign his first contract with the Lakers. He played his first game with the team soon after turning 18 in 1996.

He was the third-leading scorer in league history with 33,643 points, until LeBron James surpassed him on Saturday.

In his final tweet, Bryant saluted James' achievement, writing: "Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother."