The President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump mourns the death of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant who died alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and 7 others in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning.
President Trump on Sunday joined millions around the world to pay glowing tribute to Kobe Bryant after the sad news of his death broke some hours ago.
Kobe Bryant whose death and that of others have come as a shock to the world, was still just 41-year-old who was widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. He spent his entire NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping the franchise to five championship wins in his 20-year career.
President Donald had tweeted this message on hearing the sad news: “Reports are that basketball great Kobe Bryant and three others have been killed in a helicopter crash in California. That is terrible news!”
He also went further to share another message for the family, saying:
“Kobe Bryant, despite being one of the truly great basketball players of all time, was just getting started in life. He loved his family so much and had such a strong passion for the future. The loss of his beautiful daughter, Gianna, makes this moment even more devastating.
Melania and I send our warmest condolences to Vanessa and the wonderful Bryant family. May God be with you all!” he said.
Another fan of the late Kobe that also took to his social media page to mourn the NBA legend, was Barack Obama. He 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.”
“There’s no words to express the pain Im going through,” tweeted Lakers teammate Shaquille O’Neal, who won three NBA titles with Bryant. “(at)kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. … IM SICK RIGHT NOW.”
Retired NBA superstar Michael Jordan, to whom Bryant was often compared, expressed similar sentiments.
“Words can’t describe the pain I am feeling. I loved Kobe — he was like a little brother to me,” Jordan said in a statement. “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.”