latimes--2020-01-26--Column: Kobe Bryant was L.A. — our dreams, our sweat and the drive that unites a far-flung city

In Los Angeles , we live in far flung neighborhoods , with thousands of intersections but little overlap .
Except where sports is concerned .
The richest fans sit courtside at Staples Center , but they are no more a part of the sports community than legions of anonymous black , white , Latino and Asian fans who work and sweat and yearn and watch games on television , wearing the jerseys of Magic , Kareem , LeBron and Kobe , and believe , always , that winning is not a just possibility but a local birthright .
Kobe Bryant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A guy who made us believe that with enough work and desire , winning is more than a distant dream .
A guy who once sat on the end of the bench but became a local hero who delivered great joy .
And , on an eternally gray day , an even greater sense of loss .
The first time I proposed writing about Kobe , I had a colossally bad idea .
The year was 1997 and I was working for Time Inc. , in a job that involved occasional stories for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career as a sportswriter and always had an eye out for stories to pitch to SI , and I was certain I had a good one .
I wanted to write about what a mistake it had been for Bryant to skip college and turn pro straight out of high school .
I was living in Philadelphia at the time , not far from where Bryant caught the attention of the basketball gods while defying gravity for Lower Merion High School .
And I actually felt sorry for Bryant , who spent much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planted on the bench .
He could have been leading a great university to an NCAA title , I thought , and getting a college education , too .
Instead , there was no telling how long it might take him to become a contributing member of the Lakers .
More than one editor rejected my pitch , arguing that it was too soon to make such a judgment , and besides , who was I to tell a young phenom how to manage his life ?
Thank you , thank you , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few stories I regret , but that one would have topped the list .
A year later , at 19 , Bryant was the youngest player ever to suit up in an NBA All-Star game .
It was the first of 18 All-Star appearances in a 20-year career that included five titles , and he seemed always to have known his destiny .
I was working on an unrelated story a year or two later and saw Bryant in the Lakers ’ locker room , where he was being interviewed by an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ d spent part of his childhood in Italy and that he spoke Italian .
Still , I recall being impressed by his poise and deft handling of the language .
Of course , we make too much of athletes .
We glorify them , idolize them , expect miracles of them .
And they of course are human , which means they are deeply flawed .
Bryant was no exception .
He was accused in 2003 of raping a 19-year-old hotel worker in Colorado .
A civil lawsuit against him was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bryant apologized for what had happened , but some fans — particularly women — never forgot .
In 2011 Bryant was fined $ 100,000 by the NBA for using a homophobic slur on a referee .
He later said “ that wasn ’ t cool and was ignorant on my part ” and he encouraged others to own up to their own biases .
I didn ’ t know Bryant .
Few of us did .
But as a father , a husband , a businessman , a person , he showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ darkest moments and worst instincts , that he grew , that he understood that his greatness gave him a platform to appeal to our better selves .
He is immortalized now in Los Angeles lore both for his rare combination of talent and relentless commitment to hard work , and for the tragedy of his early death in the helicopter crash in Calabasas that took the life of his teenage daughter and seven others .
When I first saw a social media post on the accident , I hoped it was a mistake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick joke .
For a man who devoted so much attention to the detail of his craft , it seemed incomprehensible that he would go down in a helicopter in dense fog on a day when the darkness never lifted .
But he did , and the pall that spread across Southern California has traveled around the world .

In Los Angeles, we live in far flung neighborhoods, with thousands of intersections but little overlap. Except where sports is concerned.
The richest fans sit courtside at Staples Center, but they are no more a part of the sports community than legions of anonymous black, white, Latino and Asian fans who work and sweat and yearn and watch games on television, wearing the jerseys of Magic, Kareem, LeBron and Kobe, and believe, always, that winning is not a just possibility but a local birthright.
Kobe Bryant was their guy. Our guy. A guy who made us believe that with enough work and desire, winning is more than a distant dream. A guy who once sat on the end of the bench but became a local hero who delivered great joy.
And, on an eternally gray day, an even greater sense of loss.
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The first time I proposed writing about Kobe, I had a colossally bad idea.
× L.A. mourns the death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
The year was 1997 and I was working for Time Inc., in a job that involved occasional stories for Sports Illustrated. I had begun my career as a sportswriter and always had an eye out for stories to pitch to SI, and I was certain I had a good one.
I wanted to write about what a mistake it had been for Bryant to skip college and turn pro straight out of high school.
I was living in Philadelphia at the time, not far from where Bryant caught the attention of the basketball gods while defying gravity for Lower Merion High School. And I actually felt sorry for Bryant, who spent much of his first season with the Lakers planted on the bench.
He could have been leading a great university to an NCAA title, I thought, and getting a college education, too. Instead, there was no telling how long it might take him to become a contributing member of the Lakers.
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More than one editor rejected my pitch, arguing that it was too soon to make such a judgment, and besides, who was I to tell a young phenom how to manage his life?
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve written a few stories I regret, but that one would have topped the list.
1 / 43 A Lakers fan sobs at a memorial for Kobe Bryant outside the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 43 Fans (from left) Alex Fultz, Eddy Rivas and Rene Alfaro gather with others near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center on Sunday after learning of his death. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 43 Martin Yan, 35, of Diamond Bar stands beside of a mural depicting Kobe Bryant on Lebanon Street northeast of Staples Center. Fans are flocking to the area and having photos taken with the mural. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 43 The investigation continues Tuesday at the crash site in Calabasas where a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others crashed, killing all aboard. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 43 The pilot was identified by colleagues as Ara Zobayan, 50, of Huntington Beach. (Bernadette McKeever) 6 / 43 The Sikorsky S-76B helicopter (N72EX) that crashed in Calabasas. (Geraldine Petrovic / Polaris) 7 / 43 A tribute to Kobe Bryant is projected on the Los Angeles Times building. (Los Angeles Times) 8 / 43 A couple pay their respects at a memorial at home plate in honor of Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli, who perished with wife Keri, and daughter, Alyssa, in Sunday’s helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant. (Don Leach / Daily Pilot) 9 / 43 Uziel Colon takes a photo of his wife, Maria Home, and daughter Lena with a mural created to honor Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. The mural is by Art Gozukuchikyan on the side of VEM Exotic Rentals on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 43 People pay tribute to Kobe Bryant outside the gated community in Newport Coast where his family lives. (Don Leach / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 43 Kinzo Beachem writes on the cement next to a makeshift memorial for former Lakers player Kobe Bryant at L.A. Live plaza in front of Staples Center. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 43 Fans gather outside Staples Center in Los Angeles to mourn the death of Kobe Bryant after news spread that Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among the nine killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 43 Emergency responders cover remains at the site of the helicopter crash that killed nine people including Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna on Sunday in Calabasas. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 43 From left, Christopher Pena, 33, and his wife Lizbeth, 30, of Pacoima, mourn with Jose Gutierrez, 33, of La Puente, near the site of the Calabasas helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 43 Nancy Fernandez of Van Nuys lights a candle at a memorial for Kobe Bryant at De Anza Park in Calabasas on Sunday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 43 Fans mourn near Staples Center after learning that Lakers great Kobe Bryant had died. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 43 Mourners huddle at L.A. Live, across from Staples Center, site of the home court of Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 43 A woman kneels at the makeshift memorial to Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 43 A man kisses the ground as Lakers fans gather at a memorial to Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 43 Fans gather around a makeshift memorial to Kobe Bryant at L.A. Live on Sunday evening. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 43 Naima Smith, 37, and Swania Hogue, 48, both of Los Angeles, mourn the loss of Kobe Bryant at a vigil in Leimert Park on Sunday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 43 A Lakers fan touches a memorial for Kobe Bryant outside the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 43 Mourners gather at the corner of Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street in Calabasas near the site of the helicopter crash. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 43 Naima Smith, 37, lays flowers at a makeshift memorial during a vigil for Kobe Bryant in Leimert Park on Sunday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 43 Fans stand near a memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center on Sunday after learning of his death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 43 Naima Smith, 37, center, and other fans mourn the death of Kobe Bryant at a vigil in Leimert Park on Sunday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 43 Fans stand near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center on Sunday after learning of his death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 43 A screen at L.A. Live on Sunday displays an image of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant following his death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 43 Fans gather near a makeshift memorial for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center after learning of the Lakers legend’s death Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 43 Bryant Hirshman is hugged by his father, Craig, and mother, Elena, near the helicopter crash site in Calabasas that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 43 People gather on Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas near the site of a helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 43 Amanda Gordon and her husband, Philip, mourn the death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant near the site of a helicopter crash Calabasas that claimed the lives of the Lakers legend, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 43 Jianing Zhang, right, and his girlfriend Cathy Xiao gather with others near the helicopter crash site in Calabasas that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others Sunday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 43 Large Kobe Bryant memorial signs are illuminated at L.A. Live as fans Aldo Luna and his son Ethan of Pomona gather with others paying their respects outside Staples Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 43 Lakers fans mourn the death of Kobe Bryant at a makeshift memorial. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 43 Fans post sticky notes paying tribute to Kobe Bryant on a mural of the former NBA superstar outside Shoe Palace on Melrose Avenue in L.A. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 43 Fans gather at a makeshift memorial outside Staples Center to mourn Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 43 Fans gather outside Staples Center at a makeshift memorial to Kobe Bryant. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 43 Kobe Bryant’s No. 8 and No. 24 Lakers jerseys hang in the rafters at Staples Center during preparations for the Grammy Awards on Sunday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A year later, at 19, Bryant was the youngest player ever to suit up in an NBA All-Star game. It was the first of 18 All-Star appearances in a 20-year career that included five titles, and he seemed always to have known his destiny.
I was working on an unrelated story a year or two later and saw Bryant in the Lakers’ locker room, where he was being interviewed by an Italian news crew. I knew that he’d spent part of his childhood in Italy and that he spoke Italian. Still, I recall being impressed by his poise and deft handling of the language.
Of course, we make too much of athletes. We glorify them, idolize them, expect miracles of them. And they of course are human, which means they are deeply flawed.
Bryant was no exception. He was accused in 2003 of raping a 19-year-old hotel worker in Colorado. A civil lawsuit against him was settled confidentially and criminal charges were dropped. Bryant apologized for what had happened, but some fans — particularly women — never forgot.
In 2011 Bryant was fined $100,000 by the NBA for using a homophobic slur on a referee. He later said “that wasn’t cool and was ignorant on my part” and he encouraged others to own up to their own biases.
I didn’t know Bryant. Few of us did. But as a father, a husband, a businessman, a person, he showed repeatedly that he was more than his darkest moments and worst instincts, that he grew, that he understood that his greatness gave him a platform to appeal to our better selves.
He is immortalized now in Los Angeles lore both for his rare combination of talent and relentless commitment to hard work, and for the tragedy of his early death in the helicopter crash in Calabasas that took the life of his teenage daughter and seven others.
When I first saw a social media post on the accident, I hoped it was a mistake or someone’s idea of a sick joke. For a man who devoted so much attention to the detail of his craft, it seemed incomprehensible that he would go down in a helicopter in dense fog on a day when the darkness never lifted. But he did, and the pall that spread across Southern California has traveled around the world.
steve.lopez@latimes.com


latimes--2020-01-26--Dense fog impaired visibility at time of crash that killed Kobe Bryant

Federal investigators are just beginning their inquiry into the cause of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant , his daughter and seven other people Sunday morning in Calabasas .
The chopper appeared to slam into the hillside and burst into flames .
Several experts have said the weather will probably be a key part of the initial investigation .
The crash occurred as dense fog blanketed the area of the crash .
The Times is offering coverage of Kobe Bryant ’ s death for free today .
Please consider a subscription to support our journalism .
Los Angeles Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Air Support Division grounded its helicopters Sunday morning because of foggy conditions and didn ’ t fly until the afternoon .
“ The weather situation did not meet our minimum standards for flying , ” Rubenstein said .
The fog “ was enough that we were not flying , ” he said .
LAPD ’ s flight minimums are 2 miles of visibility and an 800-foot cloud ceiling , he said .
The department typically flies two helicopters when conditions allow — one in the San Fernando Valley and one in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department made a similar assessment about the fog and had no helicopters in the air Sunday morning “ basically because of the weather , ” L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said .
The crash occurred shortly before 10 a.m. near Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street in Calabasas .
Authorities received a 911 call at 9:47 a.m. , and firefighters arrived to find that the crash had ignited a quarter-acre brush fire in steep terrain , said L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl Osby .
Responders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a helicopter with paramedics , hand crews — and sheriff ’ s deputies .
The National Transportation Safety Board was dispatching a “ go team , ” a squad of investigators that responds to major accidents across the country , said Christopher O ’ Neil , an agency spokesman .
The first team was expected to arrive at the scene of the crash Sunday evening , O ’ Neil said .
Leading the investigation is Jennifer Homendy , an NTSB member who oversaw the investigation of a fire aboard the dive boat Conception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruz Island in September .
Kurt Deetz , a former pilot for Island Express Helicopters who used to fly Bryant in the chopper , said weather conditions were poor in Van Nuys on Sunday morning — “ not good at all.
” The crash was more likely caused by bad weather than engine or mechanical issues , he said .
“ The likelihood of a catastrophic twin engine failure on that aircraft — it just doesn ’ t happen , ” he said .
Judging from a public record of the flight path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that it appears the helicopter was traveling very fast at the time of impact , about 160 mph .
After a 40-minute flight , Deetz added , the craft would have had about 800 pounds of fuel on board .
“ That ’ s enough to start a pretty big fire , ” he said .

Ben Poston, Richard Winton, Matthew Ormseth

Emergency responders cover remains at the site of the crash that killed nine people, including Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, on Sunday in Calabasas.
Federal investigators are just beginning their inquiry into the cause of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other people Sunday morning in Calabasas.
The chopper appeared to slam into the hillside and burst into flames.
Several experts have said the weather will probably be a key part of the initial investigation.
The crash occurred as dense fog blanketed the area of the crash.
Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Josh Rubenstein said the department’s Air Support Division grounded its helicopters Sunday morning because of foggy conditions and didn’t fly until the afternoon.
“The weather situation did not meet our minimum standards for flying,” Rubenstein said.
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All nine people aboard the helicopter were killed when it crashed, authorities said. Dense fog at the time of the crash is likely to be a focus of the investigation. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The fog “was enough that we were not flying,” he said. LAPD’s flight minimums are 2 miles of visibility and an 800-foot cloud ceiling, he said. The department typically flies two helicopters when conditions allow — one in the San Fernando Valley and one in the L.A. Basin, he said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department made a similar assessment about the fog and had no helicopters in the air Sunday morning “basically because of the weather,” L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.
The crash occurred shortly before 10 a.m. near Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street in Calabasas. Authorities received a 911 call at 9:47 a.m., and firefighters arrived to find that the crash had ignited a quarter-acre brush fire in steep terrain, said L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl Osby. Responders included 56 fire personnel — firefighters, a helicopter with paramedics, hand crews — and sheriff’s deputies.
The National Transportation Safety Board was dispatching a “go team,” a squad of investigators that responds to major accidents across the country, said Christopher O’Neil, an agency spokesman.
The first team was expected to arrive at the scene of the crash Sunday evening, O’Neil said. Leading the investigation is Jennifer Homendy, an NTSB member who oversaw the investigation of a fire aboard the dive boat Conception, which killed 34 people off Santa Cruz Island in September.
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Kurt Deetz, a former pilot for Island Express Helicopters who used to fly Bryant in the chopper, said weather conditions were poor in Van Nuys on Sunday morning — “not good at all.”
The crash was more likely caused by bad weather than engine or mechanical issues, he said. “The likelihood of a catastrophic twin engine failure on that aircraft — it just doesn’t happen,” he said.
Judging from a public record of the flight path and the wide debris field, Deetz said that it appears the helicopter was traveling very fast at the time of impact, about 160 mph. After a 40-minute flight, Deetz added, the craft would have had about 800 pounds of fuel on board. “That’s enough to start a pretty big fire,” he said.


latimes--2020-01-26--L.A. mourns Kobe Bryant, an athlete who 'transcends race and nationality'

They came to mourn , to remember and to seek solace — outside Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles , in Thousand Oaks , Redondo Beach and scores of places in between .
Across the metropolitan region , thousands of people grieved and reflected — some in solitude , some clustered in groups large and small , speaking in English , Spanish , Korean and countless other languages — over the death of Kobe Bryant , his daughter Gianna and seven others in a Sunday morning helicopter crash .
On the side of the Shoe Palace along Melrose , dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bryant , and the words , “ on 4.13 Kobe played his final game ... this tribute has 413 triangles , ” a reference to Bryant ’ s last NBA game , played April 13 , 2016 , at Staples Center .
He scored 60 points in that farewell game .
When the news of his death broke earlier in the day , visitors began to paper the purple wall with yellow Post-it notes that read , “ Kobe you were king of LA and legend of basketball R.I.P .
bro , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are LA , ” and “ thank you mamba for showing us what it means to be a champion.
” Daryl Vaskerville added a single red rose and three candles to the memorial .
There was a bouquet of flowers , black and gold Nike shoes and people growing emotional in Bryant jerseys .
“ He described in depth what it meant to be a champion , ” Vaskerville said .
At El Camino Real in Fullerton , the staff was “ really sad , ” said manager Rodolfo Garcia .
Bryant patronized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a favorite of his and his wife , a Fullerton native .
If he couldn ’ t come in person , Bryant would have friends get big orders to take back to his Newport Coast mansion .
“ He liked the carnitas and flan , ” Garcia said over the thud of a butcher breaking down carne asada for tacos .
“ Kobe would just stand in line , like anyone else .
He ’ d tell us , ‘ Don ’ t treat me like a star ; I ’ m just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through their smartphones between sips of menudo , shaking their heads in disbelief .
Joel Viramontes of La Habra , who was wearing a Nike SpongeBob SquarePants sweatshirt that featured the cartoon icon dunking a basketball , took a call .
His face was a mask of pain .
“ Sí , ‘ ama , ya se que se murio Kobe , ” he said .
Yes , Mom , I know that Kobe died .
The Lakers have cultivated a huge base of Korean American fans , a following that was amplified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s first to broadcast in Korean in 2013 .
That was the year when Time Warner Cable , which invested nearly $ 3 billion for regional TV rights to Lakers games for the next two decades , hired five Korean Americans to serve as play-by-play announcers and color commentators , prompting crowds to swarm karaoke bars and restaurants to catch Bryant in action and to learn more about the sport through the intimacy of their native language .
“ He ’ s one of these athletes that transcend race and nationality — I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduated from high school and went straight to the NBA , ” recalled Alex Kim , 47 , a public relations executive .
“ The fact that the team participated in outreach to our community only made them more popular .
It showed that they and the business decision makers really support fans from all cultures.
” Like many famous athletes , Kobe is known just by one name all over Asia .
Kim said that even his mother , who ’ s not devoted to sports , as well as scores of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the on-court action , know the legend .
“ We mourn through technology , ” he added .
“ This way , we share our grief , locally and globally.
” Leslie Agan , 38 , still keeps in her safe a carry-out tray signed “ Kobe 8 ” that he autographed for her in 2000 when she was a cashier at the AMC 30 movie theater in Orange .
“ I saw him just about every weekend at my first job , and he was always extremely kind and considerate , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The death of Kobe Bryant feels exactly like losing a childhood friend.
” In the city of Orange , as news spread of Bryant ’ s death , a Barnes & Noble quickly sold out of all photo books featuring the star .
“ It ’ s kind of morose but people just came in 10 or 15 minutes after we found out about it , ” said Armando Romero , a bookseller at the cash register .
Smartphone alerts accelerated the spread of news about the helicopter crash .
In Marina del @ @ @ @ @ @ @ path Sunday afternoon suddenly stopped on the trail .
“ Oh no , ” one woman said , staring at her phone .
“ His teenage daughter was with him .
It just came up.
” Along Washington Boulevard in Venice , mourners in purple and yellow Lakers T-shirts smoked outside bars and consoled one another .
“ It just broke us , ” said Frank Artechi , 30 , who was at a bar with a buddy .
In the middle of the courtyard of L.A. Live , across the street from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electrifying performances helped propel the Lakers to five NBA championships , Monty Brianton , 54 , wiped tears from his face with his right hand , glancing down at an impromptu memorial .
Nearby , Joe Rivas , 28 of Norwalk , stared at TV screens at the Yard House sports bar , watching Kobe highlights .
Rivas was at the gym when he found out about Bryant ’ s death .
“ Everyone stopped what they were doing , even the basketball games , ” he said .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” At the busy intersection of Grant Avenue and Aviation Boulevard in Redondo Beach the cars kept streaming by Al Beck , 75 , a retired FedEx worker , who was holding a neon-orange sign with one word he had written in black marker : KOBE .
Beck stands on the corner often , holding political signs , such as the misspelled word “ Impechment ?
?
?
” People often swear at him .
Sometimes they flip him off .
On Sunday , he said , pausing for several seconds to choke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been nothing but good vibes.
” Brittny Mejia , Anh Do , Hailey Branson-Potts , Ruben Vives , Cindy Carcamo , Gustavo Arellano and Dakota Smith contributed to this story .

They came to mourn, to remember and to seek solace — outside Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, in Thousand Oaks, Redondo Beach and scores of places in between.
Across the metropolitan region, thousands of people grieved and reflected — some in solitude, some clustered in groups large and small, speaking in English, Spanish, Korean and countless other languages — over the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others in a Sunday morning helicopter crash.
On the side of the Shoe Palace along Melrose, dozens stopped to stare up at a mural of Bryant, and the words, “on 4.13 Kobe played his final game ... this tribute has 413 triangles,” a reference to Bryant’s last NBA game, played April 13, 2016, at Staples Center. He scored 60 points in that farewell game.
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When the news of his death broke earlier in the day, visitors began to paper the purple wall with yellow Post-it notes that read, “Kobe you were king of LA and legend of basketball R.I.P. bro,” “thx Kobe for everything you are LA,” and “thank you mamba for showing us what it means to be a champion.”
Daryl Vaskerville added a single red rose and three candles to the memorial. There was a bouquet of flowers, black and gold Nike shoes and people growing emotional in Bryant jerseys.
“He described in depth what it meant to be a champion,” Vaskerville said.
At El Camino Real in Fullerton, the staff was “really sad,” said manager Rodolfo Garcia. Bryant patronized the Mexican restaurant for 20 years, a favorite of his and his wife, a Fullerton native.
If he couldn’t come in person, Bryant would have friends get big orders to take back to his Newport Coast mansion.
“He liked the carnitas and flan,” Garcia said over the thud of a butcher breaking down carne asada for tacos. “Kobe would just stand in line, like anyone else. He’d tell us, ‘Don’t treat me like a star; I’m just a customer here.”
Advertisement
Restaurant customers scrolled through their smartphones between sips of menudo, shaking their heads in disbelief. Joel Viramontes of La Habra, who was wearing a Nike SpongeBob SquarePants sweatshirt that featured the cartoon icon dunking a basketball, took a call.
His face was a mask of pain. “Sí, ‘ama, ya se que se murio Kobe,” he said. Yes, Mom, I know that Kobe died.
The Lakers have cultivated a huge base of Korean American fans, a following that was amplified when the team became the NBA’s first to broadcast in Korean in 2013.
That was the year when Time Warner Cable, which invested nearly $3 billion for regional TV rights to Lakers games for the next two decades, hired five Korean Americans to serve as play-by-play announcers and color commentators, prompting crowds to swarm karaoke bars and restaurants to catch Bryant in action and to learn more about the sport through the intimacy of their native language.
“He’s one of these athletes that transcend race and nationality — I’ve been following him since he graduated from high school and went straight to the NBA,” recalled Alex Kim, 47, a public relations executive. “The fact that the team participated in outreach to our community only made them more popular. It showed that they and the business decision makers really support fans from all cultures.”
Like many famous athletes, Kobe is known just by one name all over Asia. Kim said that even his mother, who’s not devoted to sports, as well as scores of his fellow immigrants who do not monitor the on-court action, know the legend.
“We mourn through technology,” he added. “This way, we share our grief, locally and globally.”
Leslie Agan, 38, still keeps in her safe a carry-out tray signed “Kobe 8” that he autographed for her in 2000 when she was a cashier at the AMC 30 movie theater in Orange.
“I saw him just about every weekend at my first job, and he was always extremely kind and considerate,” said the Menlo Park resident. “The death of Kobe Bryant feels exactly like losing a childhood friend.”
In the city of Orange, as news spread of Bryant’s death, a Barnes & Noble quickly sold out of all photo books featuring the star.
“It’s kind of morose but people just came in 10 or 15 minutes after we found out about it,” said Armando Romero, a bookseller at the cash register.
Smartphone alerts accelerated the spread of news about the helicopter crash. In Marina del Rey, two women walking on a path Sunday afternoon suddenly stopped on the trail.
“Oh no,” one woman said, staring at her phone. “His teenage daughter was with him. It just came up.”
Along Washington Boulevard in Venice, mourners in purple and yellow Lakers T-shirts smoked outside bars and consoled one another.
“It just broke us,” said Frank Artechi, 30, who was at a bar with a buddy.
In the middle of the courtyard of L.A. Live, across the street from Staples Center, where Bryant’s electrifying performances helped propel the Lakers to five NBA championships, Monty Brianton, 54, wiped tears from his face with his right hand, glancing down at an impromptu memorial.
Nearby, Joe Rivas, 28 of Norwalk, stared at TV screens at the Yard House sports bar, watching Kobe highlights. Rivas was at the gym when he found out about Bryant’s death.
“Everyone stopped what they were doing, even the basketball games,” he said. “It’s as if the air left the building.”
At the busy intersection of Grant Avenue and Aviation Boulevard in Redondo Beach the cars kept streaming by Al Beck, 75, a retired FedEx worker, who was holding a neon-orange sign with one word he had written in black marker: KOBE.
Beck stands on the corner often, holding political signs, such as the misspelled word “Impechment???” People often swear at him. Sometimes they flip him off.
On Sunday, he said, pausing for several seconds to choke back tears, ”It’s been nothing but good vibes.”
Brittny Mejia, Anh Do, Hailey Branson-Potts, Ruben Vives, Cindy Carcamo, Gustavo Arellano and Dakota Smith contributed to this story.


latimes--2020-01-26--Kobe Bryant's helicopter was like a limousine and had a strong safety record, NBA star's former pilo

Kobe Bryant's helicopter was like a limousine and had a strong safety record, NBA star's former pilot says

The helicopter that crashed Sunday morning in Calabasas , killing Kobe Bryant , his daughter and seven others on board , had the feel of a limousine and boasted a strong safety record , said the basketball star ’ s former pilot .
Kurt Deetz , a former pilot for Island Express Helicopters , told The Times he flew Bryant from 2014 to 2016 .
Nine times out of 10 , he said , Bryant flew in “ Two Echo X-ray ” — the Sikorsky S-76B , tail No .
N72EX , that went down Sunday morning .
When Bryant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he flew out of downtown Los Angeles in the same helicopter , wrapped in a gray-and-black paint scheme with his Mamba emblem on the side , Deetz said .
Deetz , who said he spent more than 1,000 hours flying the craft that crashed Sunday , called its condition “ fantastic.
” Island Express follows a “ very good maintenance program , ” he said .
The helicopter was owned by Island Express , according to Deetz .
Bryant favored the S-76B , Deetz said , which he compared to “ a Cadillac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limo-esque.
” The model is preferred by celebrities and known as comfortable and safe , he said .
Its sister model , the S-76A , “ is more like a work truck , ” he said .
The Times is offering coverage of Kobe Bryant ’ s death for free today .
Please consider a subscription to support our journalism .
When he flew Bryant , Deetz said , the star was quiet : “ It was always , ‘ Hey , ’ thumbs up , or sometimes nothing at all .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in , get out , and that was it .
There was no hugging , no backslapping — he was very professional.
” Deetz recalled one flight , on Father ’ s Day in 2016 : He was spending the day with his son when he got a call — could he fly Bryant to downtown Los Angeles ?
Deetz brought along his son , who sat with him up front .
Bryant was with his daughters in the back .
He spotted Deetz ’ s son : “ He ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ but he noticed my son there and he said , ‘ Hey , little man.
’ My son and I remembered that today.
” The crash occurred shortly before 10 a.m. near Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street in Calabasas .
Authorities received a 911 call at 9:47 a.m. , and firefighters arrived to find that the crash had ignited a quarter-acre brush fire in steep terrain , said L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl Osby .
Responders included 56 fire personnel — firefighters , a helicopter with paramedics , hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The helicopter , built in 1991 , departed John Wayne Airport at 9:06 a.m. Sunday , according to publicly available flight records .
The chopper passed over Boyle Heights , near Dodger Stadium , and circled over Glendale during the flight .
The National Transportation Safety Board is dispatching a “ Go Team , ” a squad of investigators that responds to major accidents across the country , said Christopher O ’ Neil , an agency spokesman .
The first team is expected to arrive at the scene of the crash Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leading the investigation is Jennifer Homendy , an NTSB member who oversaw the investigation of a fire aboard the dive boat Conception , which killed 34 people off Santa Cruz Island in September .
When Deetz learned Bryant had died aboard the helicopter he ’ d flown him on so many times , “ my heart sank , ” he said .
“ In this business , when you hear about a crash like this , it ’ s a very surreal experience.
” Deetz said weather conditions were poor in Van Nuys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all.
” The crash was more likely caused by bad weather than engine or mechanical issues , he said .
“ The likelihood of a catastrophic twin engine failure on that aircraft — it just doesn ’ t happen , ” he said .
Judging from a public record of the flight path and the wide debris field , Deetz said that it appears the helicopter was traveling very fast at the time of impact , about 160 mph .
After a 40-minute flight , Deetz added , the craft would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board .
“ That ’ s enough to start a pretty big fire , ” he said .

Investigators in Calabasas at the site of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna and seven others on Jan. 26, 2020.
The helicopter that crashed Sunday morning in Calabasas, killing Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others on board, had the feel of a limousine and boasted a strong safety record, said the basketball star’s former pilot.
Kurt Deetz, a former pilot for Island Express Helicopters, told The Times he flew Bryant from 2014 to 2016. Nine times out of 10, he said, Bryant flew in “Two Echo X-ray” — the Sikorsky S-76B, tail No. N72EX, that went down Sunday morning. When Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016, he flew out of downtown Los Angeles in the same helicopter, wrapped in a gray-and-black paint scheme with his Mamba emblem on the side, Deetz said.
Deetz, who said he spent more than 1,000 hours flying the craft that crashed Sunday, called its condition “fantastic.” Island Express follows a “very good maintenance program,” he said. The helicopter was owned by Island Express, according to Deetz.
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Bryant favored the S-76B, Deetz said, which he compared to “a Cadillac, a limousine — it’s limo-esque.” The model is preferred by celebrities and known as comfortable and safe, he said. Its sister model, the S-76A, “is more like a work truck,” he said.
When he flew Bryant, Deetz said, the star was quiet: “It was always, ‘Hey,’ thumbs up, or sometimes nothing at all. He kept to himself. He would get in, get out, and that was it. There was no hugging, no backslapping — he was very professional.”
Deetz recalled one flight, on Father’s Day in 2016: He was spending the day with his son when he got a call — could he fly Bryant to downtown Los Angeles? Deetz brought along his son, who sat with him up front. Bryant was with his daughters in the back. He spotted Deetz’s son: “He’s a very private guy,” Deetz recalled, “but he noticed my son there and he said, ‘Hey, little man.’ My son and I remembered that today.”
The crash occurred shortly before 10 a.m. near Las Virgenes Road and Willow Glen Street in Calabasas. Authorities received a 911 call at 9:47 a.m., and firefighters arrived to find that the crash had ignited a quarter-acre brush fire in steep terrain, said L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl Osby. Responders included 56 fire personnel — firefighters, a helicopter with paramedics, hand crews — and sheriff’s deputies.
After taking off in Orange County, the helicopter flew northwest and then crashed shortly before 10 a.m. near Las Virgenes Road, south of the 101 Freeway, in Calabasas.
The helicopter, built in 1991, departed John Wayne Airport at 9:06 a.m. Sunday, according to publicly available flight records. The chopper passed over Boyle Heights, near Dodger Stadium, and circled over Glendale during the flight.
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The National Transportation Safety Board is dispatching a “Go Team,” a squad of investigators that responds to major accidents across the country, said Christopher O’Neil, an agency spokesman. The first team is expected to arrive at the scene of the crash Sunday evening, O’Neil said. Leading the investigation is Jennifer Homendy, an NTSB member who oversaw the investigation of a fire aboard the dive boat Conception, which killed 34 people off Santa Cruz Island in September.
When Deetz learned Bryant had died aboard the helicopter he’d flown him on so many times, “my heart sank,” he said. “In this business, when you hear about a crash like this, it’s a very surreal experience.”
Deetz said weather conditions were poor in Van Nuys on Sunday morning — “not good at all.”
The crash was more likely caused by bad weather than engine or mechanical issues, he said. “The likelihood of a catastrophic twin engine failure on that aircraft — it just doesn’t happen,” he said.
Judging from a public record of the flight path and the wide debris field, Deetz said that it appears the helicopter was traveling very fast at the time of impact, about 160 mph. After a 40-minute flight, Deetz added, the craft would have had about 800 pounds of fuel on board. “That’s enough to start a pretty big fire,” he said.


latimes--2020-01-26--Grammys, Kobe Bryant mourners converge at Staples Center in an only-in-L.A. scene

A surreal only-in-L.A. moment unfolded Sunday at L.A. Live , where thousands of fans gathered to mourn Kobe Bryant while music ’ s elite filed into the Grammy Awards at Staples Center .
Security was already tight because of the Grammys , and the Los Angeles Police Department said they don ’ t it didn ’ t see any problems occurring as the downtown L.A. shopping center becomes a place to mourn the NBA great .
Officials said there is clear separation between the shopping center and the area where the Grammys are being handed out at Staples Center .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ On one side of the complex , fans wearing Lakers jerseys and sweat shirts came to make sense of what happened .
On the other side , limos arrived with celebrities dressed in high fashion .
The Grammys planned a tribute to Bryant , and he was on the minds of many .
Monty Brianton , 54 wiped tears from his face with his right hand , glancing down at a second memorial site that started in the middle of the courtyard at LA Live .
Around the corner , a family of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sat quietly , the kids glued to their phone watching highlights of Bryant ’ s days when he played for the Lakers .
The Times is offering coverage of Kobe Bryant ’ s death for free today .
Please consider a subscription to support our journalism .
Nearby Joe Rivas , 28 of Norwalk , wearing a Bryant Jersey , stood staring at the TVs in the Yard House , watching clips of Bryant ’ s playing days .
Rivas said he had been at the gym when he found out about Bryant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there would be a nice crowd down here , and it ’ d be a place to come talk about it and hang with other fans that are hurting too , ” he said .
“ Initially , you ’ re like , ‘ It ’ s not true , ’ ” Robinson said .
“ Now that its real , it sucks .
He was a legend in this city .
He taught us that , with hard work , you can be the best at anything .
All those videos showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was empowering , it was inspiring.
” Ryan Apfel , a USC student from Redondo Beach who played high school basketball , said : “ I was at my apartment by myself and I broke down crying .
I looked for my Kobe jersey and said , ‘ I have to go down there .
I ’ m too restless .
I have to pay my respects.
’ “ Growing up in L.A. , it ’ s such a big , diverse , spread-out city , ” Apfel said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing up here that brought us together was the Lakers and Kobe .
I think part of that was because of the way he approached the game .
I think a lot of people grew up with Kobe as their mentor from afar .
It ’ s not just about basketball .
It ’ s been about how you approach life in general .
A lot of people from L.A. take that to heart .
Even after he retired , this is a Kobe town.
” Herman Pech , 26 , of Baldwin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge crowd in which mourners wearing Bryant jerseys mingled with Grammy Awards guests , including a couple in a shocking pink evening dress and a silver cheetah print tuxedo jacket .
Pech said he grew up wanting to be as tall as Bryant but stopped an inch short at 6 feet 5 .
He used to shoot 100 baskets a day at his house hoping to play like Bryant , who he said distinguished himself with his work ethic .
“ Nowadays there ’ s load management and players sitting out ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went out and played with a fractured hand .

People gather at a memorial for Lakers great Kobe Bryant at L.A. Live, across the street from Staples Center in Los Angeles, the home of the Lakers and, on Sunday, of the Grammy Awards.
A surreal only-in-L.A. moment unfolded Sunday at L.A. Live, where thousands of fans gathered to mourn Kobe Bryant while music’s elite filed into the Grammy Awards at Staples Center.
Security was already tight because of the Grammys, and the Los Angeles Police Department said they don’t it didn’t see any problems occurring as the downtown L.A. shopping center becomes a place to mourn the NBA great. Officials said there is clear separation between the shopping center and the area where the Grammys are being handed out at Staples Center.
It was a study in contrasts. On one side of the complex, fans wearing Lakers jerseys and sweat shirts came to make sense of what happened. On the other side, limos arrived with celebrities dressed in high fashion. The Grammys planned a tribute to Bryant, and he was on the minds of many.
Monty Brianton, 54 wiped tears from his face with his right hand, glancing down at a second memorial site that started in the middle of the courtyard at LA Live. Around the corner, a family of five at the Yard House sports bar sat quietly, the kids glued to their phone watching highlights of Bryant’s days when he played for the Lakers.
Nearby Joe Rivas, 28 of Norwalk, wearing a Bryant Jersey, stood staring at the TVs in the Yard House, watching clips of Bryant’s playing days. Rivas said he had been at the gym when he found out about Bryant’s death.
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“It made me sick, absolutely sick,” said Kyle Robinson, 28, a lifelong Lakers fan.
“I knew there would be a nice crowd down here, and it’d be a place to come talk about it and hang with other fans that are hurting too,” he said.
“Initially, you’re like, ‘It’s not true,’ ” Robinson said. “Now that its real, it sucks. He was a legend in this city. He taught us that, with hard work, you can be the best at anything. All those videos showing him in the gym, late nights, it was empowering, it was inspiring.”
Ryan Apfel, a USC student from Redondo Beach who played high school basketball, said: “I was at my apartment by myself and I broke down crying. I looked for my Kobe jersey and said, ‘I have to go down there. I’m too restless. I have to pay my respects.’
“Growing up in L.A., it’s such a big, diverse, spread-out city,” Apfel said. “One of the things that I realized growing up here that brought us together was the Lakers and Kobe. I think part of that was because of the way he approached the game. I think a lot of people grew up with Kobe as their mentor from afar. It’s not just about basketball. It’s been about how you approach life in general. A lot of people from L.A. take that to heart. Even after he retired, this is a Kobe town.”
Herman Pech, 26, of Baldwin Park arrived outside Staples Center and joined a huge crowd in which mourners wearing Bryant jerseys mingled with Grammy Awards guests, including a couple in a shocking pink evening dress and a silver cheetah print tuxedo jacket.
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Pech said he grew up wanting to be as tall as Bryant but stopped an inch short at 6 feet 5. He used to shoot 100 baskets a day at his house hoping to play like Bryant, who he said distinguished himself with his work ethic. “Nowadays there’s load management and players sitting out” games, he noted, whereas Bryant went out and played with a fractured hand.


latimes--2020-01-26--Kobe Bryant was proud of his daughter Gianna, a basketball star in making. They died together in cho

Kobe Bryant was proud of his daughter Gianna, a basketball star in making. They died together in chopper

Gianna Bryant always wanted to follow in her father Kobe Bryant ’ s footsteps .
And Bryant and others in the NBA saw much of the father ’ s spark and determination in his daughter .
Gianna , 13 , and Bryant were among the victims of a helicopter crash that took the lives of all passengers and the pilot Sunday morning in Calabasas .
The Times is offering coverage of Kobe Bryant ’ s death for free today .
Please consider a subscription to support our journalism .
Bryant coached his daughter ’ s club team and would take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During games , he ’ d talk to them about certain plays and situations .
Gianna was quick to remind people that her father , who has three other daughters , didn ’ t need a son to continue the family ’ s basketball legacy , according to the revered former NBA star .
Bryant would send videos of his daughter ’ s basketball games to Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka , Gianna ’ s godfather .
A 2019 viral video of Gianna ’ s basketball highlights showed her using moves she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his daughter as “ something else ” when she ’ s on the court .
She ’ s “ hell-bent ” on playing for Geno Auriemma at the University of Connecticut and one day for the WNBA , Bryant told The Times in 2019 .
Sparks coach Derek Fisher , who won five titles with Bryant and the Lakers , said the former NBA superstar and Gianna “ have similar demeanor and personality.
” On the morning of the crash , the father and daughter were believed to be en route to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks .
Gianna and her teammates were scheduled to play against Fresno Lady Heat at Bryant ’ s Mamba Sports Academy as part of the Amateur Athletic Union tournament , according The Fresno Bee newspaper .
Demetrius Porter , coach of the Fresno team , told The Fresno Bee that the tournament director said the game was canceled because of the crash .
“ We walked into the gym and everyone was on their knees and praying , ” Porter told The Fresno Bee .
“ ( My girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They were excited to play against Kobe Bryant ’ s daughter and take a picture with him and this tragic event happened .
”

Gianna Bryant and her father, former NBA player Kobe Bryant, attend the WNBA All-Star Game 2019 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas in July. Both were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas.
Gianna Bryant always wanted to follow in her father Kobe Bryant’s footsteps.
And Bryant and others in the NBA saw much of the father’s spark and determination in his daughter.
Gianna, 13, and Bryant were among the victims of a helicopter crash that took the lives of all passengers and the pilot Sunday morning in Calabasas.
Bryant coached his daughter’s club team and would take them to watch other professional basketball teams. During games, he’d talk to them about certain plays and situations.
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Gianna was quick to remind people that her father, who has three other daughters, didn’t need a son to continue the family’s basketball legacy, according to the revered former NBA star.
Sports Kobe Bryant’s death updates: Clippers to honor Kobe Bryant in first game at Staples Center Kobe Bryant, the NBA MVP who had a 20-year career with the Lakers, was killed Sunday when the helicopter he was traveling in crashed and burst into flames in the hills above Calabasas. His daughter Gianna, 13, was also on board and died along with seven others.
Bryant would send videos of his daughter’s basketball games to Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, Gianna’s godfather.
A 2019 viral video of Gianna’s basketball highlights showed her using moves she learned from her dad.
Bryant described his daughter as “something else” when she’s on the court.
She’s “hell-bent” on playing for Geno Auriemma at the University of Connecticut and one day for the WNBA, Bryant told The Times in 2019.
Sparks coach Derek Fisher, who won five titles with Bryant and the Lakers, said the former NBA superstar and Gianna “have similar demeanor and personality.”
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On the morning of the crash, the father and daughter were believed to be en route to a Gianna’s basketball game at Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks.
Gianna and her teammates were scheduled to play against Fresno Lady Heat at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy as part of the Amateur Athletic Union tournament, according The Fresno Bee newspaper.
Demetrius Porter, coach of the Fresno team, told The Fresno Bee that the tournament director said the game was canceled because of the crash.
“We walked into the gym and everyone was on their knees and praying,” Porter told The Fresno Bee. “(My girls) were crying and in disbelief. They were excited to play against Kobe Bryant’s daughter and take a picture with him and this tragic event happened.”


latimes--2020-01-26--Grammy Awards will honor Kobe Bryant with a tribute tonight

Hours after the sudden death of Kobe Bryant , the Recording Academy is planning a last-minute tribute for the Lakers @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Grammys ceremony .
Bryant died early Sunday in a Calabasas helicopter crash that @ @ @ @ @ , Gianna , and seven others .
With the Staples Center closed to the public @ @ @ @ @ gathered outside to build a memorial for the Lakers legend .
According to Billboard , @ @ @ @ @ show are “ working quickly ” to pull together a salute to the basketball icon @ @ @ @ @ during the event along with beloved L.A. rapper Nipsey Hussle , who died in a @ @ @ @ @ his first posthumous Grammy moments ago at the pre-show ceremony .
Interim Recording Academy chief @ @ @ @ @ also held a moment of silence for Bryant at the premiere ceremony .
The Times @ @ @ @ @ Bryant ’ s death for free today .
Please consider a subscription to support our @ @

Hours after the sudden death of Kobe Bryant, the Recording Academy is planning a last-minute tribute for the Lakers star to air during tonight’s Grammys ceremony.
Bryant died early Sunday in a Calabasas helicopter crash that also killed his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others. With the Staples Center closed to the public for the Grammys, Angelenos gathered outside to build a memorial for the Lakers legend.
According to Billboard, producers for tonight’s show are “working quickly” to pull together a salute to the basketball icon. Bryant will be honored during the event along with beloved L.A. rapper Nipsey Hussle, who died in a shooting last year and won his first posthumous Grammy moments ago at the pre-show ceremony.
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California Federal investigators look for answers in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died when the helicopter he was traveling in crashed into a hillside in Calabasas shortly before 10 a.m.
Interim Recording Academy chief and board chair Harvey Mason also held a moment of silence for Bryant at the premiere ceremony.