Online
\nOklahoma city
\nLeBron James says he is \u201cheartbroken\u201d over the death of Kobe Bryant and has promised to continue his fellow basketball great\u2019s legacy.
\nBryant and his daughter Gianna were among nine people\u00e1killed in a helicopter crash\u00e1on Sunday.
\nLA Lakers star James\u00e1surpassed Bryant\u00e1to become the NBA\u2019s third-highest scorer of all time on Saturday.
\nJames also played alongside Bryant at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, helping the United States win two gold medals.
\n\u201cMan, I sitting here trying to write something for this post but every time I try, I begin crying again just thinking about you, niece Gigi and the friendship\/bond\/brotherhood we had!\u201d he posted on\u00e1social media
\n\u201cI literally just heard your voice Sunday morning before I left Philly to head back to LA. Didn\u2019t think for one bit in a million years that would be the last conversation we\u2019d have.
\n\u201cI\u2019m heartbroken and devastated my brother.
\n\u201cI promise you I\u2019ll continue your legacy man! You mean so much to us all here. Please give me the strength from the heavens above and watch over me! I got US here! There\u2019s so much more I want to say but just can\u2019t right now because I can\u2019t get through it! Until we meet again my brother!!\u201d
\nBryant\u2019s final post on Twitter before his death was a message to James, saying: \u201cContinuing to move the game forward KingJames. Much respect my brother.\u201d
\nThe pair never played together in the NBA but James, who joined the Lakers two years after Bryant\u2019s retirement, spoke about how much he looked up to his iconic long-time rival and friend.
\nThe NBA has\u00e1called off the Los Angeles Lakers\u2019 match\u00e1against the LA Clippers on Tuesday.
\nBryant finished his playing career as the Lakers\u2019 all-time leading points scorer, and is fourth on the NBA\u2019s all-time list with 33,643 points.
\nIn his 1,566th and final game for the Lakers in April 2016 he scored 60 points for the sixth time.
\nMore than one million people\u00e1have backed a petition\u00e1to use his image as a new official NBA logo.
\nSpeaking after the LA Lakers\u2019 108-91 defeat by the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, which was the day before Bryant\u2019s death, James said: \u201cI\u2019m happy just to be in any conversation with Kobe Bryant.
\n\u201cOne of the all-time greatest basketball players to ever play, one of the all-time greatest Lakers.\u201d
\nSuper Bowl stars mourn Bryant
\nPlayers and coaches paid tribute to Bryant at the Super Bowl\u2019s opening night in the build-up to Sunday\u2019s match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
\nChiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes:\u00e1\u201dI wasn\u2019t lucky enough to meet Kobe but the impact he made in my life was huge.
\n\u201cThe work ethic, that intensity that he had to be great every single day.
\n\u201cEven to this day, I still watch videos on YouTube the day before games, just listening to him talk, how he puts everything into perspective being great on and off the court.\u201d
\n49ers cornerback Richard Sherman:\u00e1\u201dI know how he would want me to take care of business in this game.
\n\u201cI was sad this morning, down in the dumps. I know he would tell me to quit being a baby. He was a tremendous idol. There\u2019s not enough praise I can give him.\u201d
\nChiefs tight end Travis Kelce:\u00e1\u201dYou can\u2019t say enough about who he was and his impact.
\n\u201cI just feel bad for the Bryant family, everybody involved. My heart\u2019s with you and everyone here in America.\u201d
\nChiefs coach Andy Reid:\u00e1\u201dIt\u2019s sad. I knew Kobe from Philly, and he was a great person. I feel bad for his family, sick for his family.
\n\u201cThey\u2019ll rebound. They\u2019re strong. They\u2019ll live up to his strength.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Online Oklahoma city LeBron James says he is \u201cheartbroken\u201d over the death of Kobe Bryant and has promised to continue his fellow basketball great\u2019s legacy. Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among nine people\u00e1killed in a helicopter crash\u00e1on Sunday. LA Lakers star James\u00e1surpassed Bryant\u00e1to become the NBA\u2019s third-highest scorer of all time on Saturday. James […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":104893,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-104875","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n