The former Los Angeles Lakers star was known for his helicopter travel. Kobe Bryant used a private helicopter to travel around Los Angeles for years.
In the 2018 interview before his untimely death, Bryant explained why he started using a helicopter as a means of transportation around the Los Angeles area. As you might expect, traffic was one of the driving reasons.
Kobe also noted that using a chopper to fly back and forth allotted him more time with his family.
Retired NBA player Rex Chapman shared a clip of the former Lakers star’s interview in a tweet on Monday morning.
The story behind why Kobe used a private helicopter in and around Los Angeles…🖤💔🏀🌎🖤 pic.twitter.com/f77OM6CtT8
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) January 27, 2020
“Traffic (in Los Angeles) started getting really bad. I was sitting in traffic and I ended up missing, like, the school play because I was sitting in traffic. And it just kept mounting,” Bryant said.
“So that’s when I looked into helicopters, and I was able to get down and back in 15 minutes.”
That video clip, which has been shared tens of thousands of times on social media, is heartbreaking to watch now.
Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on Sunday. The group was reportedly on their way to a basketball tournament in Southern California.
Read More: Feds probe helicopter crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant
A five-time NBA champion for his only team, the LA Lakers, and a double Olympic gold medalist, Bryant was widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in histor
