TEHRAN – Iranian international basketball players have sent their thoughts after Kobe Bryant's death in helicopter crash

Kobe, one of basketball’s greatest players and most masterful scorers of all time, was among the passengers who died Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. He was 41.

Bryant's 13-year-old daughter Gianna was also killed in the crash.

The legendary basketball star, who spent 20 years with the Lakers, retired from the NBA in 2016 but the game of basketball was still an important part of his life up until his untimely death.

Bryant wrote, starred in, and executive produced the animated short Dear Basketball, which won the Oscar and Annie for best animated short in 2018. Bryant was the first African-American filmmaker to win an Oscar in the animated short category.

Team Melli captain Hamed Haddadi paid his respects with a simple post on his Instagram story.

“RIP Kobe Bryant,” Haddadi wrote.

The 2.18m former Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns center played in the NBA from 2008 to 2013.

Samad Nikkhah Bahrami is also shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Kobe.

“Thanks for everything that you gave to this game of basketball,” the small forward posted to his Instagram account.

Other Iranian basketball players Mohammad Jamshidi and Mohammad Hassanzadeh paid tribute to the NBA icon.