The NBA announced that Tuesday (January 28) night's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers will be postponed, following the death of Lakers icon, Kobe Bryant.
"The decision was made out of respect for the Lakers organization, which is deeply grieving the tragic loss of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people in a helicopter crash on Sunday," the NBA said in a statement.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Kobe "one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game" and praised him for being an inspiration to people all over the world.
"For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning. He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary: five NBA championships, an NBA MVP award, 18 NBA All-Star selections, and two Olympic gold medals," Silver said in a statement. "But he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability. He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna."
The league said the game will be rescheduled at a later date.