Washington | Kobe Bryant, one of the NBA's all-time greatest players whose international stardom transcended basketball, was killed at age 41  in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles on Monday (AEDT), along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others on board, officials said.

Bryant rocketed to fame as an 18-year-old rookie and played 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers - 18 of them as an all-star - winning five NBA championships. His death sent shockwaves through the National Basketball Association, which he helped propel to global prominence, and stunned fans around the world.

Reuters