Shareef O'Neal shares direct messages he had with Kobe Bryant just before helicopter crash

NBA legend Kobe Bryant was among nine people who were killed in a helicopter crash Sunday morning outside of Los Angeles, news that sent the sports world into shock.

Shareef O’Neal — the son of Bryant’s longtime teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal — was among those devastated by the news, and took to social media in utter shock on Sunday morning.

Shareef also shared a screenshot of an Instagram direct message between him and Bryant from Sunday morning, where Bryant asked him if he was good.

Shareef then shared a tribute to Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, who was also killed in the crash.

Shareef played in 13 games for UCLA this season, however announced this week that he is leaving the university. The former four-star recruit missed his freshman season last year and had to redshirt after he was diagnosed with a right anomalous coronary artery and had to undergo open-heart surgery.

Shaq shared a tribute to Bryant on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, too.

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