This past Sunday, the world was heartbroken to discover that NBA icon Kobe Bryant had died at the age of 41 following a devastating helicopter crash, which also killed the eight other passengers onboard.
Bryant, famed for his incredible scoring ability, was revered by basketball fans all over the world.
Not least by 13-year-old Brady Smiegel, who took a photo of Bryant at the Mamba Sports Academy the day before he died. Given how recent it was taken, it has been speculated by several press outlets - including the New York Post and the Daily Mail - that the selfie could be the last-ever picture taken of the basketball star.
Watch the heartfelt tribute Shaquille O'Neal made for the late Kobe Bryant in a special TNT pregame show below:Brady was playing in a tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy and Bryant was coaching his daughter Gianna’s team, according to an interview the boy's mother did with The New York Post. When Bryant finished coaching the first game, Brady went up to Kobe and asked for a photo with him.
Check out Brady's selfie's below, which have been shared on Twitter by LA news reporter Rachel Kim:
"Kobe gave him knuckles, and Brady said 'he wasn’t in the mood to talk because they lost,'" Brady’s mother, Dionne Smigiel, told The Post.
But when Bryant walked past him, Brady managed to get a selfie that captured the star's profile.
Determined to get a better picture, the 13-year-old waited until Gianna's second game ended and sure enough, Bryant came out and Brady managed to get another blurry photo of the star.
Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, died on Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, along with eight other individuals including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
It is believed that the athlete and his daughter Gianna were on their way to the Mamba Academy for basketball practice in Thousand Oaks when the tragic incident occurred. All nine of the victims have been identified, according to CBS News.
It was also reported that the cause of the crash has yet to be established. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will examine a number of factors including the pilot's history, the condition of the aircraft and the weather conditions during the incident.
