Empire State Building lights up for Kobe Bryant

Bryant played 20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers - 18 of them as an all-star - winning five NBA championships. His death sent shockwaves through the National Basketball Association, which he helped propel to international prominence.

His Sikorsky S-76 chopper went down in foggy weather around 10 a.m. (1800 GMT) in hilly terrain in Calabasas, California, about 40 miles (65 km) northwest of central Los Angeles, sparking a brush fire, officials said.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.