Tuesday, January 26th

AP PHOTOS: Kobe Bryant's NBA life, in photo form

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) points to a player behind him after making a basket in the closing seconds against the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the NBA basketball finals, in Los Angeles, June 7, 2009. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

It's been a year since Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Southern California.

They were on their way to a basketball tournament on a Sunday morning. Bryant, Gigi -- that's what most called his daughter -- and everyone else aboard the helicopter were killed instantly in the crash, officials said.

The Associated Press has moved thousands of photos of Bryant, who won five championships in his 20 NBA seasons, all with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a Grammy winner. He was a best-selling author of children's books. He will soon be officially enshrined as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Here is Bryant's NBA life, depicted in photo form:

1996: Bryant was a 17-year-old kid when he entered the NBA and had a childlike grin when the Lakers introduced him as the newest member of their franchise. He never played for another.

Kobe Bryant, 17, jokes with the media as he holds his Los Angeles Lakers jersey during a news conference at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif., July 12, 1996. Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, died in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Sterner)

1997: Bryant faced a steep learning curve as a rookie, averaging 7.6 points per game. A year later, he was an All-Star and on his meteoric rise to stardom.

1998: In his first All-Star Game, Bryant showed he belonged among the game's best, scoring 18 points opposed Michael Jordan.

1999: Bryant's relationship with Shaquille O'Neal was often complex, but they would form one of the top duos in NBA history.

2000: Bryant rode a double-decker bus to Staples Center when the Lakers won their first of the five championships with him in purple and gold.

2001: This was always a certainty: When fans came to watch Kobe Bryant, they would get a show.

2002: Bryant's confidence was soaring. The Lakers rolled through the playoffs, winning a third consecutive NBA title.

2003: Bryant and O'Neal were often portrayed as rivals, and they bickered often. Clearly, however, they had moments that both enjoyed.

2004: Bryant's legacy was marred by the allegation that he raped a 19-year-old Colorado hotel worker. A civil suit was eventually brought, Bryant issued an apology through his attorney and the case was later dropped when the accuser refused to testify.

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant jumps over a row of fans after saving the ball from going out of bounds in the second half of the Lakers 107-101 win over the Houston Rockets in Houston, Dec. 20, 2001. Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, died in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

2005: Bryant had the best offensive season of his career in 2005-06, leading the NBA by averaging 35.4 points per game.

2006: Games against the Boston Celtics always brought out the best in Bryant; the Celtics and Lakers have been rivals for decades.

2007: Bryant was always an intense competitor. Here, celebrating a basket in a playoff game against Phoenix, he showed how much more the postseason meant.

2008: Bryant dove into the stands in an effort to save a loose ball in Dallas. No play was insignificant to him.

2009: Bryant led the Lakers to the fourth championship of his career, the first since he and O'Neal won three straight in the early 2000s.

2010: The fifth and final championship of Bryant's NBA career. As the final seconds of those NBA Finals ticked away, Bryant leaped onto the scorer's table and, as confetti fell and some stuck to his soaked uniform, he held five fingers high. The meaning was clear.

2011: Bryant was adored globally, including South Korea, where he threw a basketball clinic for children during a tour of five Asian cities.

2012: Bryant played in the Olympics twice for USA Basketball. He left both times with a gold medal.

2013: Whenever Bryant visited China, it wasn't uncommon for thousands of fans to show up just to get a glimpse of someone who was as revered as any player there - including Chinese star Yao Ming.

2014: Bryant was among the players who wore "I Can't Breathe" shirts in 2014 to protest the death of Eric Garner, a Black man killed by police in New York.

2015: Bryant averaged 22.3 points in his next-to-last season in the NBA, the 15th time in his 20 seasons that he would average at least 20 points.

2016: Wherever Bryant went in his final season, opposing fans cheered and let him know how much he would be missed.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant, right, grabs a rebound away from Portland Trail Blazers center Mason Plumlee during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, right, fist-bumps his daughter Gianna after the last NBA basketball game of his career, against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, in Los Angeles.Bryant scored 60 points as the Lakers won 101-96. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant directs traffic on Feb. 13, 1997, against the Denver Nuggets in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, playing for the West All-Stars, reacts to his dunk over Detroit Pistons' Grant Hill and San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan, right, in the first half of the NBA All-Star game at New York's Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Feb. 8, 1998. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal (34) puts his arms around teammates, Elden Campbell (41) and Kobe Bryant (8) as Eddie Jones (6) and Derek Harper walk in front as they return to play the Houston Rockets in the fourth quarter at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif., Feb. 5, 1999. (AP Photo/Victoria Arocho)

Los Angeles Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant gestures to the crowd from atop a doubledecker bus as the Lakers victory parade arrives at Staples Center in Los Angeles, June 21, 2000. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. He was 41. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant watches the clock run down the final seconds of Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal against the San Antonio Spurs in Los Angeles, May 14, 2002. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. He was 41. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal, left, and Kobe Bryant share a laugh on the bench while their teammate take on the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter at Staples Center in Los Angeles, April 15, 2003. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

L.A. Lakers' star Kobe Bryant accompanied by his attorney Pamela Mackey, right, and security, enters court at the Justice Center for a pretrial motions hearing Tuesday, May 11, 2004 in Eagle Co. Bryant is appearing in Eagle County District Court facing charges of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant dribbles the ball against the Washington Wizards during the second quarter in an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2005, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, top, goes up for a shot between the Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce, left, and Al Jefferson during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Feb. 23, 2006. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Branimir Kvartuc)

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant celebrates a basket against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of their Western Conference playoff basketball game in Los Angeles, Thursday, April 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant lands amongst fans after chasing down a loose ball in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Friday, Jan. 25, 2008. The Mavericks won 112-105. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher, center, holds the Larry O'Brien Trophy as Kobe Bryant, right, holds the MVP trophy as they celebrate after beating the Boston Celtics, 83-79, in Game 7 of the NBA basketball finals in Los Angeles, June 17, 2010. At second left is Lakers' Sasha Vujacic. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

NBA's Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant embraces South Korean students in his basketball clinic for youth in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, July 14, 2011. Bryant is in Seoul during his five-Asian cities tour. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

United States' Kobe Bryant reacts after a dunk during a men's gold medal basketball game against Spain at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

NBA star Kobe Bryant throws a ball to his fans during a promotional event in a shopping district in China's southern city of Shenzhen, Sunday Aug. 4, 2013. Kobe Bryant visited Shenzhen as part of his China tour. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, center, warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Los Angeles, Dec. 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) waves as he walks off the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Salt Lake City, March 28, 2016. Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star who won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)