As Italians heard the news of Kobe Bryant’s death, a deluge of messages and social media posts mourned more than just the basketball star – they mourned the neighbour and the friend.

The NBA legend died on Sunday in a helicopter crash in southern California, together with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. He was 41.

“Forever one of us,” Reggiana basketball club in Reggio Emilia tweeted, while the town's mayor Luca Vecchi said: “Kobe Bryant grew up among us and was a Reggiano.’

“We’ve lost a friend,” read a front-page headline in the Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy’s leading sports newspaper.

The Italian basketball federation ordered a minute’s silence to be observed for all games in every category fort this week, "a small but heartfelt and deserved gesture" to honour “an absolute champion who always had Italy in his heart”.

Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures NBA legend Kobe Bryant died, aged 41, in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on Sunday 26 January 2020. Four other passengers were killed in the crash, the LA County Sherrif Department have confirmed. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant dunking the ball at his Lower Merion, Pa. high school gym during a practice in 1996. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant, 17, smiles as he holds his Los Angeles Lakers jersey in 1996. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant drives to the basket during a Lakers pre-season victory over the Dallas Mavericks in 1996. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Waiting to appear in his first-ever NBA game in 1996. He was the NBA's youngest ever player at the time. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) He remains the the youngest ever winner. AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Shaquille O'Neal puts his arms around teammates, Elden Campbell and Kobe Bryant as they return to play the Houston Rockets in 1999. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) The arrival of Phil Jackson kick-started the Lakers to true contention. AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant's image overlooks the Staples Center arena after the Lakers won the NBA Championship against the Indiana Pacers in 2000. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant celebrates from atop a doubledecker bus during the Lakers victory parade in 2000. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) 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 2001. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant watching the clock run down in the final seconds of their Western Conference semi-final against the San Antonio Spurs in 2002. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant would form one of the most potent one-two punches in NBA history alongside Shaquille O'Neal, winning three titles in a row from 2000 to 2002. The pair later publicly feuded and O'Neal left. AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Sitting next to his MVP trophy he received at the 51st NBA All-Star game in 2002. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant was accused of sexual assault in 2003. The charges were later dropped and a civil suit was settled out of court. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Braynt changed from the No 8 to the No 24 in 2006. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant goes up for a shot between the Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce, left, and Al Jefferson in 2006. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant attends a gathering with his fans in Shanghai during his Supernatural Asia Tour 2007. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant was named the league MVP in the 2007-08 season. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Winning his first Olympic gold medals as part of Team USA in 2008. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant jumps for a rebound during a playoff game in 2009. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Celebrating the 2008-09 title win, a series where he was named Finals MVP. AFP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) He celebrated the Lakers 2009 victory with his family. AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) US President Barack Obama shares a laugh with Kobe Bryant during a ceremony honoring the 2009 NBA basketball champions at the White House. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant smiles as he carries his daughter Gianna after the Lakers 2009 victory parade. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Most valuable players Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal from the West team up the trophy at the NBA All-Star in 2009. EPA Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Winning the title for the second year in a row, Bryant was again named Finals MVP after an epic seven-game series against the Boston Celtics. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Smiling with daughters Gianna and Natalia with the MVP Trophy after his team defeated the Boston Celtics in 2010. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant slam dunks against the Sacramento Kings in 2011. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Playing with a ball during a sponsor's appearance in Milan in 2011. He moved to Italy when he was six, after his father retired from NBA to play basketball at a lower level. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash, arrived in 2012 but the pair struggled to gel and although the team made the play-offs they lost in the first round. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant dunking the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the Western Conference Semifinals in 2012. EPA Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant went to support the US women's side at the 2012 Olympics Games against France, the day before his own final. AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant went on to win his second Olympic gold at the London Games. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant is injured in one of the last games of 2012-13, the first of a series of injuries that saw his powers fade dramatically in his final three seasons. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Daughter Natalia sitting on his shoulders during a practice session for the NBA All-Star basketball game in 2013. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Speaking after announcing retirement in December 2015. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Bryant in his 18th and final All-Star game in Toronto. He was named starter for every appearance, a record. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Taking his final ever shot - a free throw - late in the fourth quarter to score his 60th point against the Utah Jazz and his last at Staples Center. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Balloons and confetti rain on the court following Kobe Bryant's final game as a Laker in 2016. AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant retires after 20 years with the LA Lakers - the only player in NBA history to spend that long with the same franchise. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant watches a tribute at AT&T Center in 2016. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) With his family and city officials Bryant was honored at a council meeting with Kobe Bryant Day in 2016. With the date commemorating the 2 numbers, 8 and 24, he wore on his Lakers jersey AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) in Haikou in China's southern Hainan province on September 12, In 2017 he attended basketball teaching activities, as part of an announcement that China's first NBA basketball school was to be opened. He believed it would improve the game in the country. AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Both Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers jerseys, number 8 and 24, were are retired in 2017. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Kobe Bryant with the Best Animated Short Film Award for "Dear Basketball" in 2018. Reuters Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) With daughter Gianna at the US national championships swimming meet in 2018. He regularly took his children to watch other sporting events. AP Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) As a World Cup ambassador, Kobe Bryant, was part of the Basketball World Cup draw in Shenzhen in 2019. Getty Kobe Bryant: Career in pictures Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) Present at the finals he presented the 2019 World Cup MVP to Spain's Ricky Rubio Getty

The outpouring of emotion is a testament to how deep Bryant’s Italian connection ran. The American spoke fluent Italian and often said it would be a “dream” to play in the country.

“My story began here,” Bryant told the newspaper Il Resto del Carlino in 2016. “My dream began in Reggio Emilia.”

“Italy was Kobe’s second home,” Stefano Salerno, a journalist covering the NBA for Sky Sport Italy and a basketball fan “because of Kobe”, told The Independent. “Or rather, his ex-aequo first home.”

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bryant moved to Italy when he was six and spent seven years in the country following his father Joe’s basketball career.

Bryant plays with a ball during a sponsor’s event in Milan during 2011 (AP)

He mastered the local language quickly after his family moved to their first Italian home in Rieti, near Rome.

“The closest American school was in Rome, two hours away from Rieti,” explains Salerno. So Bryant attended local instead of international schools, forcing him to learn Italian grammar “like all of us”. He learned Italian so quickly that “after a couple of months, Kobe started translating Italian for his parents, who didn’t speak the language,” Salerno says.

When Bryant took his first steps on a basketball court in Italy, he was small and thin – far from the 6’6” man he grew into. He often got picked late in scrimmages by players who underestimated him – but were quickly forced to recognise their mistake.

“We were young and at the time your father was the star. None of us knew we were playing with someone who would become one of the greatest basketball players of all time,” tweeted a man who claimed to have played with Bryant as a child in Reggio Calabria, the second Italian city the Bryants lived in.

Byrant also liked football and became an AC Milan fan – a passion he kept for the rest of his life.

“After football games, he liked to talk about football and about Italy, where he often went for his summer holidays,” says Zeno Pisani, an Italian talent manager in Hollywood and a personal friend of Bryant’s since the late star moved to Los Angeles to begin his NBA career. He told The Independent getting to know Bryant was “when your hero becomes your friend”.

The Italian language stayed with him for the rest of his life. Bryant kept speaking the language even during his time in the NBA, deploying it to motivate teammates or trash-talk on the court. His daughters Gianna Maria - who, tragically, died alongside him in a helicopter crash at the age of just 13 - and Natalia Diamante were given Italian names.

Bryant once told Italian sports channel Sportitalia that his time in the country left him with a “passion for life, for basketball, for doing the thing you love with all your heart.”

“Italy will always have a place in my heart,” he added.

And Italians, too, grew to love Kobe Bryant. He made them connect with US basketball, Salerno says, and believe that a local had made it.

“Many saw him as an Italian in the NBA. They saw him as one of them – as someone they raised," he says.

“He felt Italian, and he often said that he learned how to play in Italy and would have liked to help Italian children,” adds Pisani, the talent manager.

Giovanni Petrucci, president of the Italian basketball federation, said Byrant “had a lot of Italian qualities”.

Most of Bryant’s fondest memories of Italy were born in Reggio Emilia, where his family spent their last three years before returning to the US.

“I used to cycle around here with my friends, so many memories. It’s special,” he recalled in Italian, his hands moving frantically, as he spoke to local media during a visit in 2016.

Speaking from a street court, with paint flaking off yellow homes in the background, he said: “When we drove here, would you ever think that one of the best players in the NBA grew up here? It’s as far as you can get from Los Angeles.

“It means that every dream is possible.”