The sudden death of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other people aboard a helicopter last Sunday has shocked the sports world and the nation beyond it. Kobe was a professional basketball giant who transcended the game.

His stats across 20 years in the NBA tell the story. He turned pro straight out of high school. He was an 18-time All-Star with five NBA titles (including three in a row from 2000-2002), and on and on and on. Bryant was a prodigy who changed the game and left it better. He was the hardest working talent of his era.