The death of former NBA superstar, Kobe Bryant, sent shockwaves around the world on Sunday morning.
There was an immediate outpouring of grief and disbelief, followed by sympathies and tributes to the late Lakers star.
As did the rest of the teams in the league, the Oklahoma City Thunder expressed their condolences over the untimely passing of Bryant on Sunday morning, releasing a statement on his tragic death later in the afternoon:
“No words can adequately express the shock and sadness the NBA family is feeling. Kobe was an icon, a person who embodied greatness in so many ways. He pushed the game of basketball to new heights with a passion for the game that he shared with fans across the globe for decades. We send our thoughts and prayers to the Bryant family and all those who were lost in today’s tragedy.”
We send our thoughts and prayers to the Bryant family and all those who were lost in today’s tragedy.
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) January 26, 2020
Second-year Thunder guard Deonte Burton also paid his respects to Bryant on Sunday, tweeting out his disbelief and wish for Bryant to rest in peace.
The final road game of Bryant’s career was in Oklahoma City, a 112-79 loss to the Thunder.
In that game, Russell Westbrook went for a triple-double before halftime, with Bryant ending the night with 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field.
Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. on Sunday morning, along with his daughter, Gianna Maria, and seven others, including the pilot.
The NTSB has not released the cause of the crash. The investigation is still ongoing.