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Julia Naftulin 

• NBA Basketball icon Kobe Bryant, 41, has reportedly died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday.
• TMZ and ABC 7 reported the Bryant was in his private helicopter. At least five people died in the crash according to the LA Fire Department.
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more.

NBA Basketball icon Kobe Bryant, 41, has reportedly died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday.

TMZ  and ABC 7 reported that Bryant was in his private helicopter with several others when it crashed.

Pepperdine Graphic, Pepperdine’s student-run newspaper, published a tweet on Sunday that showed an image of the helicopter and smoke in the distance.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department said at least five people died in the crash.

Kobe Bryant is an NBA legend

Bryant is a former NBA basketball star who spent his 20-season career entirely with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is also the third all-time scorer in the NBA and won five NBA championships. 

Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but lived in Italy, where his father played basketball, for most of his childhood. In 1996, Bryant joined the NBA right after graduating from high school.

During his NBA career, Bryant proved his icon status. He used to hold the record for all-time points in the NBA until LeBron James surpassed him on Saturday, January 25, one day before Bryant’s death.

He was often referred to by his self-given nickname “The Black Mamba,” a type of snake, that signified his prowess and competitive attitude on the court. Bryant is the second-highest-paid NBA player ever and has $323 million from his NBA career salary alone.

In 2016, Bryant retired from the NBA, and in his final game he set yet another record for the organization.

Bryant was married to his wife Vanessa Bryant and has four children with her: Bianka, Gianna, Natalia, and Capri, their youngest child they had in June.