Former NBA star Kobe Bryant attends an NCAA women's college basketball game between Long Beach State and Oregon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2094 in Long Beach, Calif. The Oregon won 81-45. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

The Associated Press and other news sources are reporting that Kobe Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation, died in a helicopter crash Sunday. He was 41.

Bryant, who spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, died when the helicopter crashed near Calabasas, California, at 10 a.m. Pacific time, a source told The Associated Press.

Sources said Bryant was one of five people on board the helicopter. They weren’t immediately identified, but indications are that Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was among the victims. There were no survivors.

Bryant retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer in NBA history, finishing two decades with the Lakers as a prolific scorer with a sublime all-around game and a relentless competitive ethic. He held that spot in the league scoring ranks until Saturday night, when the Lakers’ LeBron James passed him for third place during a game in Philadelphia, Bryant’s hometown.

Additional details will follow, and a complete report will be in Monday’s edition of The Telegraph.

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