'He was LA's god basically': Heartbroken fans gather at Staples Center and share what Kobe Bryant meant to Los Angeles

Get the Full StoryLauren Frias Business Insider

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Staples Center to pay tribute to the late NBA star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.

Bryant, Gianna, and seven other passengers were killed in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday morning.

Fans left flowers and heartfelt messages for the late basketball icon as they mourned his sudden passing.

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Chants of "Kobe" and "MVP" echoed outside the Staples Center as hundreds gathered outside the iconic sports arena to pay tribute to the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, Sunday morning. Bryant was 41.

Fans were seen wiping away tears, leaving flowers, and writing heartfelt messages on the ground of Xbox Plaza to remember the Los Angeles Lakers player and his daughter.

"It's just one of those times where you know that a city respects an athlete," Brooklyn Butler, who attended the tribute, told Insider. "He was LA's god basically, and these are the kind of people you want to be around for a moment like this."Fans wrote messages to Bryant and his daughter Gianna on the floor of Xbox Plaza.

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"Everybody, even if they're not a huge sports fan, can look at this man and respect him for being a great father, a great friend, and then an even bigger inspiration," Butler said.

People left jerseys and basketballs among the flowers and candles to pay tribute to the late basketball icon.

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Lakers fan Ron Antonio told Insider he attended the vigil for Bryant to be around other fans as he mourns the loss of the basketball icon.

"You can feel it here, the impact that one person brings," Ron Antonio said. "That's what we need on this planet nowadays. I'm glad I get to be around all these people."

Fans wore variations of Bryant's jersey.

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Christopher Ramos, who also attended the vigil, told Insider he wanted to pay his tribute to the player on Sunday after hearing the news, but instead was compelled to go home to his family, given how suddenly the Bryant family experienced significant loss.

"I wanted to come last night, but at the same time, I wanted to come home," Ramos said. "I wanted to call home to my mother and to my brothers because in the blink of an eye, they can be gone."

See the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:Photos of Kobe and Gigi Bryant show how the father-daughter duo shared a deep love for the game of basketball12 major NBA records that are still held by Kobe BryantShaquille O'Neal's son says Kobe Bryant messaged him 'You good fam?' hours before he died in a helicopter crashSEE ALSO: Jimmy Fallon shares story about meeting Kobe Bryant at a party and going on a beer run in touching tribute to the Lakers legend

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