SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich is mourning the loss of retired NBA star Kobe Bryant.
Bryant, 41, and his daughter Gianna, 13, died in a tragic helicopter crash in California Sunday, along with seven other victims.
The pair was reportedly headed to a travel basketball game at the time of the crash. No one survived, authorities say.
Popovich says he’s keeping Bryant’s family and loved ones in his thoughts as they go through the grieving process.
The Spurs played the Raptors on Sunday afternoon a short time after hearing of Bryant’s death and the crash. Below is what Popovich had to say.
“Good game, tough loss, who cares. Everybody is pretty emotional about the tragedy with Kobe. All of us knew what a great player he was, but he went beyond great play. He was a competitor. It goes unmatched. Even more importantly, we all feel a deep sense of loss for what he meant to all of us in so many ways and so many millions of people loved him for so many different reasons. It’s just a tragic thing and there are no words that can describe how everybody feels. We all think about the family and process they will be going through now. That’s where all our thoughts should be,” Popovich said.
More on Kobe Bryant:
LA sheriff’s office says 9 perished in helicopter crash