Billie Jean King & Naomi Osaka lead emotional tributes to Kobe Bryant on basketball great's death anniversary

Naomi Osaka and Billie Jean King recently paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna on the second anniversary of their death. Bryant and Gianna were killed in an unfortunate helicopter crash in California in January 2020.

During an illustrious career that spanned two decades, Bryant played as a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA, winning five championships. He was also an 18-time All-Star and two-time Finals MVP.

Apart from being one of the greatest NBA players of all time, Bryant was also known for his charitable endeavors, which included starting his own foundation and endorsing organizations like Make A Wish, Stand Up to Cancer and After-School All Stars.

Billie Jean King took to Twitter to thank the Black Mamba for "championing women's sports". She also offered her sympathies to the family and friends of the Bryants and the helicopter personnel that died in the crash.

"Kobe Bryant was not only a brilliant basketball player, but also a champion of women’s sports," King wrote on her Twitter handle. "It’s been 2 years since the deaths of Kobe, Gianna, & those on board with them. Thinking of their loved ones today."

Naomi Osaka, who always looked up to Bryant, posted an inspirational quote from the late NBA legend.

"The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they do," the quote from Bryant read.

Naomi Osaka's Instagram story

Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe also pay their respects to Kobe Bryant

Coco Gauff, another self-professed Kobe Bryant fan, reposted an image from last year's Australian Open. In the picture, she can be seen wearing pink custom-made Nike shoes. The shoes honored the Bryants with their jersey numbers and also had "Mamba Mentality" scribbled on its midsole.

Frances Tiafoe, meanwhile, remarked that every American sports fan dearly misses the Black Mamba.

"We will forever miss y'all," Tiafoe wrote.

Frances Tiafoe's Instagram story

Bryant and his daughter were immortalized at their helicopter crash site in California earlier on Thursday with a statue. The bronze statue weighs around 160 pounds and was sculpted by an artist named Dan Medina. The father-daughter duo's statue also pays tribute to the seven other victims of the crash.