Former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade offered his stunned reaction to the news of Kobe Bryant’s death on social media, mirroring the feelings of basketball fans across the world.
Bryant was killed on Sunday when the helicopter he was flying in crashed in Calabasas, Calif., with news that his 13-year-old daughter Gianna was also on the plane.
Wade and Bryant had battled each other since Wade’s entry into the NBA during the 2003-04 season.
The year after Bryant’s Lakers won the fifth and last league title during his 20-year career in 2010, Wade and his Heat teammates began a four-year run of trips to the finals, including championships in both 2012 and 2013.
In addition to their on-court competitions, they were also teammates on the Team USA squad that captured the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.