Watch Kobe Bryant's poem entitled 'Dear Basketball', written when the five-time NBA champion retired in 2015.

Bryant, 41, was a five-time NBA champion and spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

He retired in April 2016.

Bryant's achievements include being the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player and two-time NBA Finals MVP. He was also two-time NBA scoring champion and a two-time Olympic champion.

He also won an Oscar for best short animated film in 2018 for Dear Basketball, a five-minute film based on a love letter to the sport he had written in 2015.

In case you're just joining us, basketball legend Kobe Bryant has passed away in a helicopter crash in California.

Bryant, 41, was travelling in a private helicopter when it crashed and burst into flames, according to US media reports.

You can read more here.

You can also watch the latest from the BBC News Channel using the play icon at the top of the page.

Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs are currently playing in the NBA.

They paid their respects in the first possession of the game.

More from Joe Morgan, of Sporting News, on Kobe Bryant: “He is Los Angeles, I really have no problem in saying that. He means everything to everyone in this city. If you talk to anyone who grew up in LA or grew up as a Lakers fan, their number one favourite player or person they tried to be like was Kobe Bryant. Part of that is due to the fact that he spent his entire career here. He never left, he dedicated his life to Los Angeles. It’s just a really hard day.

“As the days go by and we see all these tributes and such, at this point we have just lost probably one of the greatest top five basketball players of all time and somebody who was incredibly important to the city of Los Angeles.

“There have been quite a few tears shed. I have no problem in saying I have done the same when I heard the news, it was just shock.”

Spanish professional basketball player and former team mate of Bryant, Pau Gasol is another to have paid tribute on social media.

Joe Morgan, writer for Sporting News, told the BBC: “This is honestly the worst sports news we have ever experienced. I was trying to figure out someone as important as Kobe Bryant and somebody passing away in sports and I can’t think of it.

“He is everything to the NBA, really next to [Michael] Jordan as the most popular. Being as young as he is at 41 and he is now really starting to get back into the game after his retirement a few years ago, the thinking is complete devastation, it really is.

“You’ve got to remember that NBA players who are now playing in this league grew up watching Kobe Bryant and idolising him so there is a lot of emotion going on here, especially in Los Angeles.”

Denis Rodman, who is a fellow five-time NBA champion alongside Bryant, has also paid tribute on social media.

Some footage from the aftermath of Bryant's crash has been released.

It shows emergency services attending the scene and large amounts of smoke coming out of the helicopter.

Brian Mahoney, NBA writer for the Associated Press, told the BBC: “[The reaction] was a lot of shock and sadness when the headline report came out. He’s impacted so many people the way he played and he’s stayed very busy in retirement with doing things beyond basketball, so he’s still around. He’s not like a guy who retired and you don’t see him.

“Beyond just the basketball people there is sadness from anyone who was aware of him.

“He’s travelled using a helicopter for a long time, to training and games as he lives outside Los Angeles. Anyone who knows LA knows how bad traffic is there, it’s not a place you want to have to drive every day, so he’s been travelling by helicopter for quite a long time, I’m not sure for exactly how long but many years."

Chrissy Teigen, the American actress and model, has also paid tribute to Bryant.

Deron Williams, who won 2008 Olympic gold alongside Bryant, has paid his respects.

Orlando Magic have tweeted their tribute to Bryant.

They will observe a minute's silence before their game against LA Clippers tonight.

On Saturday evening, the LA Lakers' LeBron James moved above Bryant to become the NBA's third-highest scorer of all time yesterday.

Bryant tweeted praising the Lakers forward.

Former basketball Tony Parker has taken to Twitter to pay his tribute to Bryant.

Six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen has also paid tribute to Bryant.

The 62nd Grammy Awards are getting underway in Los Angeles at the Staples Center, with the non-televised portion of the honors opening with a moment of silence for Bryant.