NBA: Kobe Bryant Was Always Confident Flying By Helicopter

Kobe Bryant was always confident in flying by his private helicopter prior to his tragic death.

Despite ending his life through a helicopter crash, Bryant had developed a love in flying his own chopper. According to USA Today, the Lakers legend often used his own helicopter to get to Los Angeles Lakers home games during his playing days. Bryant was so fascinated in flying by helicopter that he even let a teammate fly on it in one occasion. Apparently, he once used it to ferry his former teammate Steve Blake to a doctor’s appointment.

Another interesting story about Bryant’s helicopter rides stated that he even used it in a prank that gave Lakers GM Rob Pelinka the fright of his life.

According to New York Post, the five-time NBA champ made use of a chopper to play a trick on Pelinka in 2017. The prank was indeed a dangerous act as it reportedly involved having the helicopter malfunctioning in mid-air. Bryant was so determined to prank Pelinka and had the pilot do military maneuvers on the chopper with the GM on board. While in mid-air, Bryant pulled the prank off and ordered to turn the engine off.

“My life was flashing before my eyes,” Pelinka told the newspaper.

“I almost had a heart attack. Kobe’s just sitting there calm and collected,” Pelinka added.

Back in 2009, Bryant already admitted that he liked to charter a chopper to travel the 49 miles from his home to the Staples Center – home of the Purple and Gold.

“Sometimes, there’s just things you cannot miss. Like my daughter’s soccer game. Because what if I miss her first goal?,” Bryant pointed out.

Apparently, Bryant thought that flying the helicopter wasn’t just for convenience. He told GQ magazine in a 2010 interview that the chopper was also another way to stay healthy.

Back to the present, all the stories about Bryant flying a helicopter has changed. Sadly, the first thing people will remember about it was his devastating death.

Latest update on Bryant’s helicopter crash states that contrary to previous reports, his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Rick Fox wasn’t on board with him.

Fox’s stepdaughter Jillian posted a story on her social media that the former Lakers forward isn’t one of the casualties of the tragic accident that killed Bryant and his daughter, Gianna .

Bryant’s helicopter crash is still under investigation but police already confirmed that the horrible accident left no survivors.