Photo Gallery: NBA legend Kobe Bryant dies in chopper crash — In pics

Kobe Bryant called his daughter Gianna 'Mambacita' after his own court nickname, 'Black Mamba', confident she would follow in his footsteps and become a professional basketball player. On Sunday, the 41-year-old five-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist died with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others in a helicopter crash northwest of Los Angeles as they pursued that dream. (Reuters photo)

A transcendent star who went straight from high school to the game`s biggest stage, Bryant won five NBA championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers and was the face of the franchise during his 20-year career. (Reuters photo)

He was an 18-times NBA All-Star who wore the jersey numbers 24 and 8 - both of which were retired by the Lakers - and continued the `Showtime' tradition of the storied franchise that has been home to the likes of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O`Neal. (Reuters photo)

Among those internationally recognized athletes known simply by their first names, Bryant was an avid supporter of soccer and women`s basketball and spoke Italian, having spent part of his youth in Italy, where his father, former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, played several seasons professionally. (Reuters photo)

He also won an Oscar, along with Glen Keane, for the 2017 animated short film 'Dear Basketball', and sometimes mingled with show-business stars in Los Angeles. (Reuters photo)

Bryant played all 20 of his NBA seasons with the Lakers, winning five championships and being named an all-star 18 times. He also won two Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. men`s basketball team in 2008 and 2012. (Reuters photo)