>>> THIS IS AN NBC SPECIAL REPORT.

REPORT. HERE'S KATE SNOW.

HERE'S KATE SNOW. >> WE'RE COMING ON THE AIR WITH

>> WE'RE COMING ON THE AIR WITH BREAKING NEWS, VERY SAD NEWS TO

BREAKING NEWS, VERY SAD NEWS TO TELL THE SPORTS WORLD.

TELL THE SPORTS WORLD. THE L.A. TIMES IS REPORTING THAT

THE L.A. TIMES IS REPORTING THAT RETIRED LOS ANGELES LAKERS

RETIRED LOS ANGELES LAKERS BASKETBALL STORE KOBE BRYANT HAS

BASKETBALL STORE KOBE BRYANT HAS BEEN KILLED IN A HELICOPTER

BEEN KILLED IN A HELICOPTER CRASH.

CRASH. IT HAPPENED THIS MORNING.

IT HAPPENED THIS MORNING. THE CHOPPER WENT DOWN JUST

THE CHOPPER WENT DOWN JUST BEFORE 10:00 A.M. LOCAL TIME

BEFORE 10:00 A.M. LOCAL TIME ACCORDING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT

ACCORDING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OUT THERE IN -- NORTHWEST OF LOS

OUT THERE IN -- NORTHWEST OF LOS ANGELES.

ANGELES. IT BURST INTO FLAMES FROM

IT BURST INTO FLAMES FROM IMPACT, STARTING A NEARBY BRUSH

IMPACT, STARTING A NEARBY BRUSH FIRE.

FIRE. THE 41-YEAR-OLD KOBE BRYANT WAS

THE 41-YEAR-OLD KOBE BRYANT WAS TRAVELING WITH FOUR OTHERS, ALL

TRAVELING WITH FOUR OTHERS, ALL FIVE PEOPLE PERISHED IN THE

FIVE PEOPLE PERISHED IN THE CRASH.

CRASH. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT

AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THERE WERE FOGGY CONDITIONS IN

THERE WERE FOGGY CONDITIONS IN THAT AREA THAT MAY HAVE

THAT AREA THAT MAY HAVE DIMINISHED VISIBILITY.

DIMINISHED VISIBILITY. BRYANT LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE HAVE

BRYANT LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE HAVE A NECESSARYVANESS AND FOUR DAUGH

A NECESSARYVANESS AND FOUR DAUGH HE STARRED FOR TWO DECADES WITH

HE STARRED FOR TWO DECADES WITH THE L.A. LAKERS, WINNING FIVE

THE L.A. LAKERS, WINNING FIVE CHAMPIONSHIPS, MAKING 18

CHAMPIONSHIPS, MAKING 18 ALL-STAR GAMES BEFORE HE RETIRED

ALL-STAR GAMES BEFORE HE RETIRED IN 2016.

IN 2016. I WANT TO BRING IN NBC SPORTS

I WANT TO BRING IN NBC SPORTS HOST MIKE TIRICO, JOINING US BY

HOST MIKE TIRICO, JOINING US BY PHONE NOW.

PHONE NOW. MIKE, I DON'T THINK WE CAN

MIKE, I DON'T THINK WE CAN OVERSTATE WHAT A LEGEND KOBE

OVERSTATE WHAT A LEGEND KOBE BRYANT WAS.

BRYANT WAS. >> NO, KATE, CERTAINLY NOT.

>> NO, KATE, CERTAINLY NOT. AND EVERYONE IN THE SPORTS

AND EVERYONE IN THE SPORTS WORLD, NOT JUST THE FOLKS WHO'VE

WORLD, NOT JUST THE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN IN THE BASKETBALL WORLD,

BEEN IN THE BASKETBALL WORLD, ARE JUST SHOCKED BY THIS NEWS.

ARE JUST SHOCKED BY THIS NEWS. KOBE RETIRED FROM THE NBA IN

KOBE RETIRED FROM THE NBA IN 2016.

2016. HE'S A FOURTH ALL-TIME LEADING

HE'S A FOURTH ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER, THE THIRD ALL-TIME

SCORER, THE THIRD ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER UNTIL YESTERDAY,

LEADING SCORER UNTIL YESTERDAY, LeBRON JAMES PASSED HIS MARK

LeBRON JAMES PASSED HIS MARK YESTERDAY AND KOBE TWEETED OUT

YESTERDAY AND KOBE TWEETED OUT HIS CONGRATULATORY REMARKS

HIS CONGRATULATORY REMARKS TOWARDS LeBRON.

TOWARDS LeBRON. AFTER THAT HE WAS WITH ONE OF

AFTER THAT HE WAS WITH ONE OF THE MARQUEE FRANCHISES IN THE

THE MARQUEE FRANCHISES IN THE NBA, THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND

NBA, THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND THAT ALLOWED THE HOLLYWOOD

THAT ALLOWED THE HOLLYWOOD PRESENCE THAT YOU'RE TALKING

PRESENCE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

ABOUT. KOBE WAS A CELEBRITY, A STAR ON

KOBE WAS A CELEBRITY, A STAR ON AND OFF THE FLOOR.

AND OFF THE FLOOR. HIS CHAMPIONSHIPS GO BACK 20

HIS CHAMPIONSHIPS GO BACK 20 YEARS.

YEARS. HE CAME RIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL

HE CAME RIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE NBA AT A TIME WHEN THAT

TO THE NBA AT A TIME WHEN THAT WAS NOT DONE VERY OFTEN AND

WAS NOT DONE VERY OFTEN AND BECAME ONE OF THE GREATEST

BECAME ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE

PLAYERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE.

LEAGUE. THIS IS A VERY CLOSE LEAGUE.

THIS IS A VERY CLOSE LEAGUE. ITS SUPERSTARS AND ITS LEADERS

ITS SUPERSTARS AND ITS LEADERS ARE IN A SMALL TIGHT CIRCLE.

ARE IN A SMALL TIGHT CIRCLE. I WAS IN NEW YORK AT RADIO CITY

I WAS IN NEW YORK AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL WHERE THEY HAD AN

MUSIC HALL WHERE THEY HAD AN UNBELIEVABLE GATHERING OF

UNBELIEVABLE GATHERING OF BASKETBALL GREATS, HONORING THE

BASKETBALL GREATS, HONORING THE LATE DAVID STERN, THE

LATE DAVID STERN, THE COMMISSIONER WHO PASSED AWAY ON

COMMISSIONER WHO PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 1st AND THE COMMUNITY

JANUARY 1st AND THE COMMUNITY WAS STILL SADDENED BY THE

WAS STILL SADDENED BY THE COMMISSIONER'S PASSING 25 DAYS

COMMISSIONER'S PASSING 25 DAYS LATER AND THAT WILL ONLY

LATER AND THAT WILL ONLY DEVASTATE ALL THE BASKETBALL

DEVASTATE ALL THE BASKETBALL COMMUNITY, AND ALL THE PEOPLE

COMMUNITY, AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO LOVED SPORTS BECAUSE KOBE

WHO LOVED SPORTS BECAUSE KOBE BRYANT TRULY WAS ONE OF THE

BRYANT TRULY WAS ONE OF THE GREAT SPORTSMEN OF OUR

GREAT SPORTSMEN OF OUR GENERATION.

GENERATION. >> MIKE, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE

>> MIKE, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE HELICOPTER WAS COMING FROM AND

HELICOPTER WAS COMING FROM AND GOING TO AT THIS POINT.

GOING TO AT THIS POINT. IT WENT DOWN CALABASSAS IS NEAR

IT WENT DOWN CALABASSAS IS NEAR MALIBU, CALIFORNIA.

MALIBU, CALIFORNIA. I KNOW HE'S BEEN IN THE BUSINESS

I KNOW HE'S BEEN IN THE BUSINESS WORLD OF LATE.

WORLD OF LATE. HE'S GOT A NUMBER OF PROJECTS.

HE'S GOT A NUMBER OF PROJECTS. HE'S HAD A NUMBER OF DEALS, I

HE'S HAD A NUMBER OF DEALS, I THINK, WITH NIKE AND OTHERS.

THINK, WITH NIKE AND OTHERS. EXPLAIN THAT, WHAT HAS HE BEEN

EXPLAIN THAT, WHAT HAS HE BEEN UP TO MORE RECENTLY?

UP TO MORE RECENTLY? >> SURE, HE RETIRED IN 2016,

>> SURE, HE RETIRED IN 2016, KATE.

KATE. AND EVEN ON THE DAY OF HIS FINAL

AND EVEN ON THE DAY OF HIS FINAL GAME THAT I HAD THE CHANCE TO

GAME THAT I HAD THE CHANCE TO BROADCAST HE SCORED 60 POINTS IN

BROADCAST HE SCORED 60 POINTS IN THAT GAME, MOST THAT ANYBODY

THAT GAME, MOST THAT ANYBODY SCORED IN THE NBA THAT YEAR AS

SCORED IN THE NBA THAT YEAR AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

AN INDIVIDUAL. KOBE WAS TAKING MEETINGS THAT

KOBE WAS TAKING MEETINGS THAT MORNING NEAR HIS HOUSE, NEAR HIS

MORNING NEAR HIS HOUSE, NEAR HIS OFFICE, NOT NEAR DOWNTOWN LOS

OFFICE, NOT NEAR DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.

ANGELES. YET, BECAUSE OF THE 20 YEARS IN

YET, BECAUSE OF THE 20 YEARS IN L.A. AND THE NOTORIOUS TRAFFIC

L.A. AND THE NOTORIOUS TRAFFIC IN LOS ANGELES, KOBE, AS HE GOT

IN LOS ANGELES, KOBE, AS HE GOT LATER IN HIS CAREER, WOULD

LATER IN HIS CAREER, WOULD COMMUTE FROM HIS HOME WHERE HE

COMMUTE FROM HIS HOME WHERE HE HAD AN OFFICE NEARBY, AND WOULD

HAD AN OFFICE NEARBY, AND WOULD COMMUTE VIA HELICOPTER DOWNTOWN

COMMUTE VIA HELICOPTER DOWNTOWN TO LOS ANGELES WHERE THEY PLAYED

TO LOS ANGELES WHERE THEY PLAYED AT THE STAPLES CENTER OR TO DO

AT THE STAPLES CENTER OR TO DO OTHER THINGS.

OTHER THINGS. SO KOBE'S HELICOPTER HAS BEEN IN

SO KOBE'S HELICOPTER HAS BEEN IN USE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

USE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. SOME HAD REFERRED TO IT AS KOBE

SOME HAD REFERRED TO IT AS KOBE 1, LIKE AIR FORCE ONE, HIS

1, LIKE AIR FORCE ONE, HIS PERSONAL HELICOPTER FROM

PERSONAL HELICOPTER FROM COMMUTING DOWNTOWN L.A.

COMMUTING DOWNTOWN L.A. WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS, THAT'S

WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS, THAT'S SOMETHING HE HAD USED OFTEN.

SOMETHING HE HAD USED OFTEN. >> TALK MORE ABOUT HIS CAREER.

>> TALK MORE ABOUT HIS CAREER. YOU'VE ALREADY HIT ON THE

YOU'VE ALREADY HIT ON THE HIGHLIGHTS.

HIGHLIGHTS. THIS WAS A SPECIAL PLAYER.

THIS WAS A SPECIAL PLAYER. >> TWO OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS, FIVE

>> TWO OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS, FIVE NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS.

NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS. IN HIS 20 YEARS, HE WAS AN

IN HIS 20 YEARS, HE WAS AN ALL-STAR 18 TIMES, THE SECOND

ALL-STAR 18 TIMES, THE SECOND MOST IN THE HISTORY OF THE

MOST IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE AND AS I SAID WAS FOURTH

LEAGUE AND AS I SAID WAS FOURTH IN POINTS.

IN POINTS. BUT THOSE STATS, AND ACCOLADES,

BUT THOSE STATS, AND ACCOLADES, EXTRAORDINARY BY ANY ACCOUNTING.

EXTRAORDINARY BY ANY ACCOUNTING. PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE PEOPLE

PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE PEOPLE WHO COMPETED AGAINST KOBE.

WHO COMPETED AGAINST KOBE. HE HAD A DESIRE TO DRIVE TO

HE HAD A DESIRE TO DRIVE TO COMPETE UNLIKE IN OTHER

COMPETE UNLIKE IN OTHER ATHLETES.

ATHLETES. IF HIS MOM WAS THERE GUARDING

IF HIS MOM WAS THERE GUARDING THE BASKET, HE WOULD GO OVER HIS

THE BASKET, HE WOULD GO OVER HIS MOM FOR A HOOP.

MOM FOR A HOOP. THAT WAS KOBE, NICKNAMED THE

THAT WAS KOBE, NICKNAMED THE MAMBA, YOU'VE SEEN HIM TALK

MAMBA, YOU'VE SEEN HIM TALK ABOUT IT WITH MANY ATHLETES IN

ABOUT IT WITH MANY ATHLETES IN VARIOUS SPORTS, RANGING FROM

VARIOUS SPORTS, RANGING FROM OTHER NBA PLAYERS TO TEAMMATES

OTHER NBA PLAYERS TO TEAMMATES TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYERS

TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYERS AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS

AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS IN CURRENT DAY, THEY ALL HAVE

IN CURRENT DAY, THEY ALL HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY KOBE BRYANT'S

BEEN INSPIRED BY KOBE BRYANT'S MENTALITY TO BE THAT EXTRA LEVEL

MENTALITY TO BE THAT EXTRA LEVEL OF GREAT.