Ex-basketball star Kobe Bryant, four others dead in helicopter crash

Retired basketball star Kobe Bryant and four other people died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning, the city of Calabasas reported.

“It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Kobe Bryant and four others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. The aircraft went down in a remote field off Las Virgenes around 10:00 this morning. Nobody on the ground was hurt,” the city of Calabas said on Twitter.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff said on Twitter that five people died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, about 40 miles (65 km) northwest of Los Angeles, and that there were no survivors. It did not identify the victims.

First responders put out the flames of the crash site, the sheriff’s department said, posting a picture of a fire truck and smoke emerging from the brush in a ravine.

Bryant, 41, was known to use a helicopter for travel dating to his days as a star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, when he commuted to games in a Sikorsky S-76 chopper, the celebrity news website TMZ said.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration identified the crashed helicopter as a Sikorsky S-76, saying in a statement that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate.

Bryant won five NBA championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was an 18-times NBA All-Star who wore the No. 24 during his 20-year career with the team.

Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, have four daughters: Gianna, Natalia, Bianca and Capri, who was born in June 2019.

Reporting by Mekhla Raina in Bengaluru, Daniel Trotta and Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Lisa Shumaker

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Walton surprised to hear Kobe rate Oscar above championships

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton isn't ready to believe that Kobe Bryant's Oscar means more to the Lakers legend than his five NBA titles.

"He said that? With a straight face?" ‬Walton said Monday when quizzed by reporters about Bryant's comments. "I didn't see it but I would imagine there was some sarcasm in there. But hey, I don't know. That's his call."

Bryant, 39, won the Academy Award for best animated short Sunday for "Dear Basketball," a collaboration with artist Glen Keane and legendary composer John Williams.

"It feels better than winning a championship, to be honest," Bryant told reporters backstage after collecting his statuette.

"As a kid, I grew up dreaming of winning a championship, but to have something like this coming out of left field... people asked, 'What do you want to do when you retire?' and I said, 'writer.'

"And they were like, 'That's cute,'" Bryant said. "But to be here right now, to have a sense of validation -- it's crazy, man."

Bryant was already a Los Angeles icon, but in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal, his honor created some consternation from those who remembered his arrest over the suspected rape of a 19-year-old hotel worker in Colorado in 2003.

Bryant admitted to a sexual encounter, but insisted it was consensual. The criminal case was dropped when the accuser refused to testify, but Bryant faced a civil suit that was settled out of court with no admission of guilt from the NBA star.

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Judge denies mistrial in Derrick Rose rape lawsuit trial

LOS ANGELES -- A Los Angeles judge refused to declare a mistrial in the sexual assault lawsuit against NBA star Derrick Rose on Wednesday, saying his accuser's lawyers did not intentionally conceal evidence.

Lawyers for the New York Knicks guard sought the mistrial on grounds that they were not given access to several text messages they call essential to their case until the player was on the witness stand in the civil trial.

Federal Judge Michael Fitzgerald described the situation as "careless" but ruled that the delay in providing the texts to the defense should not result in a mistrial.

Rose, Randall Hampton and Ryan Allen are being sued for at least $21.5 million by a 30-year-old woman who says they gang-raped her at her apartment in Los Angeles in 2013.

The three men deny the allegations, claiming the sexual contact that took place was consensual.

Lawyers for the woman claim the text messages show the plaintiff was unaware the men were coming to her apartment and that she had no intention of having sex with them.

Rose's legal team say the texts prove the opposite -- that the woman was a willing participant.

Rose, 28, testified on Tuesday that the plaintiff was "awake and alert" when he and his friends took turns having sex with her.

The woman testified last week that she was so intoxicated that she has only "flashes" of memory of the alleged rape.

Rose said that after a party at his house, the woman sent him a text message that read: "You need to come see me right now."

The former Chicago Bulls star said the woman greeted the men at her door and told them they could have sex with her "one at a time."

Lawyers for the plaintiff say their client was drugged by the men earlier in the evening and that she was unaware they had entered her apartment.

No criminal charges have been brought in the case, although a criminal investigation was opened when the woman reported the incident to authorities in 2015, around the same time she filed the lawsuit.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Police Department said the death a day earlier of detective Nadine Hernandez, who was part of the team investigating the allegation against Rose, appeared to be suicide and unrelated to the case.

Hernandez, 44, died in hospital after she was found suffering from a single gunshot wound to the chest in a home in suburban Whittier.

"Detective Hernandez was among several detectives working on the Derrick Rose case at the time of her death," the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. "At this point there is no indication that her case work had any connection to her death. The Rose investigation will continue unimpeded."

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Brothel workers said stricken Odom had been using coke -sheriff

LAS VEGAS - Basketball and reality TV star Lamar Odom was reportedly fighting for his life in a Las Vegas hospital on Wednesday after he was found unresponsive at a legal brothel, where employees said he used cocaine and a sexual performance-enhancing supplement, a sheriff said.

The 35-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers standout and ex-husband of Khloe Kardashian was stricken on Tuesday at the Love Ranch brothel in Crystal, Nevada and was taken to the hospital, according to the Nye County Sheriff's Office.

The Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in Las Vegas, where Odom was taken, declined to comment on Odom's condition on Wednesday, citing patient confidentiality.

But celebrity website TMZ.com cited unidentified sources as saying Odom was in a coma and that some of his organs were failing. Another celebrity news outlet, E! - also citing unnamed sources - reported that Odom had suffered brain damage and at least one stroke, and was on a ventilator after taking multiple
drugs.

In a news conference on Wednesday, Sheriff Sharon Wehrly said authorities received an emergency call from panicked brothel staff on Tuesday afternoon, saying that a man, identified as Odom, was unconscious, with blood and a white substance coming from his nose and mouth.

"During that call, the reporting parties informed the Nye County Sheriff's Office dispatch the male had been using cocaine," Wehrly said. "They confirmed his usage on Saturday but were unsure if it had continued" after that.

The callers also said Odom had taken as many as 10 tablets of a herbal sexual enhancement supplement, Wehrly said.

Love Ranch owner Dennis Hof said earlier that, during his three-day stay, Odom had been taking large amounts of "herbal Viagra", a non-prescription product which can dramatically lower blood pressure and interact with other medications.

The sheriff's department obtained a search warrant so that it could test Odom's blood, Wehrly said. The sheriff said he could face drug charges if the investigation determines he was using cocaine.

Khloe Kardashian, whose whirlwind romance with Odom was captured in "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and its spin-off, "Khloe and Lamar", was at his bedside, TMZ and Us Weekly reported.

The couple split in 2013 after four years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in July, though she has remained close to him.

Kardashian's mother, Kris Jenner, posted a photo on her Instagram account late Wednesday of Odom in his Lakers uniform, asking fans to "please pray for Lamar #ourfighter".

Khloe's half-sister, model Kendall Jenner, posted a tweet on Wednesday saying "please don't go," that was believed to referto Odom.

"Family and friends are extremely concerned for Lamar," Odom's publicist, Eve Sarkisyan, said in a statement.

His hospitalization was the latest episode in a roller-coaster personal and professional life. It came after a
downturn in a 14-season career with National Basketball Association teams, including the Lakers from 2004-2011.

On top of the pressures faced by a top NBA player, Odom, whose mother died when he was 12, had to deal with being a reality TV star after marrying Kardashian.

The 6-foot, 10-inch-tall (2-metre) athlete had long been reported to have had issues with cocaine abuse, although this had never been publicly confirmed. He has admitted only to using marijuana.

During the 2000-2001 season, Odom was suspended for violating the NBA's antidrug policy. In 2013, he pleaded no contest in Los Angeles to a charge of driving under the influence and was ordered to undergo rehabilitation for alcohol abuse.

Former teammates rallied to his support.

Lakers player Kobe Bryant left following a pre-season game to visit Odom in the hospital. Others took to Twitter.

"I have been praying all morning for my good friend and Laker great, Lamar Odom, that God will bless him to pull through," former Lakers great Earvin "Magic" Johnson, said in a tweet. "What most people don't realize about Lamar Odom is that he's a better person than he is a basketball player."

Odom won two championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. Currently a free agent, he last played for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2012-13 season and is no longer attached to any team.

Prostitution is illegal in most of the United States, but in some parts of Nevada brothels, including Hof's Love Ranch, are legal.

Hof said Odom had arrived on Saturday. "He was polite and reserved, and he told multiple employees that he was there to get some privacy and spend some time relaxing," Hof said.

(Additional by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle, Victoria Cavaliere in Los Angeles, Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif., and Jill Serjeant in New York; Writing by Eric Johnson and Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis)

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NBA star Jeremy Lin says 'surprised' by Chinese fans support

Jeremy Lin, the NBA's first Chinese-American player, said Sunday he was "surprised" by Chinese fans support as he and his team Charlotte Hornets beat Los Angeles Clippers in a preseason game in Shenzhen.

The 27-year-old, whose ancestry is from Taiwan and China, in July signed with Hornets in a free agent deal worth $4.3 million over two years.

He had previously spent two NBA seasons with Houston after leaving the Knicks and last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Playing an NBA game in China for the first time, he said he felt "thankful" for Chinese fan support after his side won the match 106-94.

"I feel thankful and blessed...It's the first time for me to play professional basketball in China," he told reporters in Putonghua at a press conference following the sold-out game attended by 17,400 at the Shenzhen Universiade Centre.

"I am surprised that fans treated me so well...no matter in the hotel or when I was walking around, they'd bring up posters and the jerseys," he said.


In 28 minutes of play, he scored 16 points.

Lin inspired "Linsanity" in 2012 when he came off the bench to spark a win streak by the injury-riddled New York Knicks.

It is also the first time an NBA game was played in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong.

Fans, who cheered and shouted his Chinese name "Lin Shuhao" throughout the match, said they were "thrilled" by the atmosphere and have been paying more attention to the Hornets because of Lin.

"The match was terrific. Jeremy Lin was terrific, he repeatedly hit three-pointers. I came here to watch him. He'd made me watch Hornets games more." Tu Chingbuo, a 26-year-old spectator who lives in Shenzhen, told AFP.

"I like Jeremy Lin because he is Chinese. It doesn't matter who wins when it's a good match," 35-year-old Zhang Danfeng , also from Shenzhen, told AFP.

Clippers's all-star Blake Griffin scored 13 points and JJ Redick snapped up 23 points. Guards Chris Paul and Austin Rivers pulled out due to injuries.

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Former 76ers basketball star Darryl Dawkins dies

Former National Basketball Association star Darryl Dawkins, known as "Chocolate Thunder" for his powerful dunks and flamboyant personality, died on Thursday of a heart attack, his family said. He was 58.

An explosive center whose dunks shattered two glass backboards in 1979, Dawkins got his nickname from musical great Stevie Wonder. In a 14-season NBA career he averaged 12 points, 6.1 assists and 1.4 blocks per game, statistics that were dwarfed by an outsized personality.

"Darryl touched the hearts and spirits of so many with his big smile and personality, ferocious dunks, but more than anything, his huge, loving heart," the family said in a statement.

Always a fan favorite, Dawkins gave names to his dunks, such as "Dunk You Very Much," "Yo Mama," "Spine Chiller Supreme" and "In Your Face Disgrace."

Thanks to his high-flying game and his size and strength, the NBA was forced to adopt breakaway rims and impose fines and suspensions for breaking backboards during games.

In 1975, the 6-foot-11, 255-pound Dawkins became the first player taken directly from high school in the first round of the NBA draft. A year earlier, Moses Malone went to the rival American Basketball Association after being drafted out of high school by the Utah Stars.

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Dawkins with the fifth overall pick and he went on to play with the team for seven seasons before moving to the New Jersey Nets for five years. He played four games for the Utah Jazz in 1987-88 before ending his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons in the 1988-89 season.

"We've lost a dear friend and an iconic figure, both on and off the court," 76ers CEO Scott O'Neil said. "We remember fondly not only his thunderous dunks, but more importantly his powerful presence and personality.

"His endearing charm, infectious smile and unparalleled sense of humor will be sorely missed. 'Chocolate Thunder' will always have a special place in our hearts."

Dawkins averaged in double figures in points nine times in his career but never lived up to his massive expectations.

Dawkins used to joke that he was an alien from the planet "Lovetron" who spent the off-season practicing "interplanetary funkmanship." After leaving the NBA in 1989, he played two seasons in Italy and then with the Harlem Globetrotters.

After several coaching stints, he retired from basketball in 2000. But he remained visible at events like the NBA's All-Star Weekend, where he served as a judge of this year's Slam Dunk contest.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Dawkins "played the game with passion, integrity and joy, never forgetting how great an influence he had on his legions of fans, young and old." (Additional reporting by Alden Bentley; Additional reporting by Steve Ginsburg; Editing by Alan Crosby and David Gregorio)

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Adidas takes new shot at US market with NBA Harden deal

FRANKFURT, Germany -- NBA star James Harden will soon be dribbling the ball with Adidas sneakers on his feet as the German sportswear maker hopes to retake US market share from basketball giant Nike and number two Under Armour.

Signing up the Houston Rockets guard in a reported 13-year, $200 million (180 million euro) deal aims to make Adidas trendy in a market where it has been caught flat-footed before.

Charismatic Harden, 25, known as "The Beard" to his fans and voted the NBA's second best player last season, will switch from Nike to wear Adidas shoes on the court, and its gear in social settings, from October.

Adidas has stayed quiet about the sum reported by ESPN, but confirms it is taking a big bet on basketball.

"His connection with the fans is unique and unprecedented," an Adidas spokesman told AFP, noting that the salary will be linked to athletic performance. "He can take the game and our brand to new heights."

In a market where teenagers love custom sneakers, Adidas is taking on number one Nike, which already sponsors superstars LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant.

"Adidas is changing its marketing strategy," said Cedric Rossi, an analyst at investment bank Bryan Garnier.

"It no longer sponsors the NBA league, but it is backing a few key players ... Consumers associate and identify with these stars much more easily."

Nike will, meanwhile, take over from Adidas as NBA's official apparel supplier from the 2016-17 season.

From then, Adidas will reallocate the $10 million a year it paid to the league to individual players, said Rossi, explaining the value of Harden's contract.

"We must not forget that it is for about 13 years. In the end, he makes $15 million a year."

- Autonomy in the US –

Adidas pulled out its chequebook because the stakes are high for CEO Herbert Hainer, who is under pressure from shareholders.

The sportswear maker was relegated last year to number three rank in the US market, behind newcomer Under Armour.

Adidas, a giant in football-obsessed Germany, presented a new strategy in March for the market across the Atlantic.

"The United States has always been a problem," even in the time of Robert Louis-Dreyfus, its former chief, recalls an ex-company executive.

"The view of Adidas has always been a European vision on the US market ... We never allowed the US to work as entrepreneurs."

He said this could have included adapting its marketing strategy and, for example, investing in university sports.

The company's previous costly mistakes, made from its headquarters in Herzogenaurach in southern Germany, have included declining in 1984 to sign up Michael Jordan, then a rising star, the former executive said.

Adidas has also had trouble with the integration of Reebok, acquired in 2005 in a deal that is just starting to bear fruit in the fitness sector.

The German company has started to shift course and in 2014 brought in American Mark King as head of the North America region.

Product design is now done in the United States, and King has a free hand in marketing campaigns, with plans to sponsor 500 athletes from American football and baseball.

"The American subsidiary gained independence and it was essential," said Rossi, who said Adidas made "the right steps" in the US, where sales rose three percent in this year's first half.

"Now we expect a growth in turnover."

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'King' James puts $17M Miami palace up for sale

MIAMI - Got a spare $17 million knocking about? NBA star Lebron James has put his waterfront Miami mansion -- complete with sommelier's wine cellar and custom theater -- up for sale, just months after confirming his decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The palatial spread in the exclusive Coconut Grove neighborhood, billed by realtors as the "most opulent estate in Miami," was bought by the basketball superstar for a cool $9 million in 2010.

However, with James calling time on four glory-laden years with the Miami Heat in July, the mansion is now up for sale -- at nearly double the price.

The listing from Opulence International Realty said the property also includes a chef's kitchen, office, generator, guest home and private sun deck.

The property includes six bedrooms, eight bathrooms and various swimming pools.

James, 29, won two NBA championships during his stint at the Heat.

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