Kobe Bryant started using helicopters as a player as a way to maintain his body and spend more time with his family

He was 41 years old.
The Black Mamba was known as a fierce competitor and one of the greatest basketball stars ever to play in the NBA.
Training and competing with the Los Angeles Lakers didn't leave Bryant with much spare time, so he used helicopters to get around the notoriously trafficky city in order to maximize his time with his family.
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Kobe Bryant had a lot on his plate.

From training and competition with the Los Angeles Lakers to his incessant pursuit of business ventures, book deals, and media projects, the late NBA legend was constantly on the go.

Tragically, the way Bryant saved time throughout his life was the same way his life was cut short.

The Black Mamba and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, were killed in a helicopter accident Sunday in Calabasas, California, along with seven other people. They were en route to the Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, California, for a basketball practice when Bryant's private helicopter crashed.

Since his playing days, Bryant had traveled around Los Angeles via helicopter in order to best balance his time between family and basketball.

"I had to figure out a way where I could still train and focus on the craft but still not compromise family time," Bryant said. "And so that's when I looked into helicopters."

"My wife was like 'Listen, I can pick [the kids] up,' and I'm like 'No, no, no. I want to do that,' because you have road trips and times like that when you don't see your kids." he added. "So every chance I get to see them and spend time with them, even if it's 20 minutes in a car, I want that."

Bryant further expounded on his unique mode of transportation and how it helped him on the court in a 2010 GQ profile .

"But sexy as it might seem, Bryant says the helicopter is just another tool for maintaining his body. It's no different than his weights or his whirlpool tubs or his custom-made Nikes. Given his broken finger, his fragile knees, his sore back and achy feet, not to mention his chronic agita, Bryant can't sit in a car for two hours. The helicopter, therefore, ensures that he gets to Staples Center feeling fresh, that his body is warm and loose and fluid as mercury when he steps onto the court."

Bryant was 41 years old at the time of his tragic passing. He is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and his other three daughters, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.

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