Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry had trouble finding the words to honor the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who died Sunday morning in a helicopter crash with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.

"A lot of questions right now. Our faith is being tested...but all I can say is thank you," he wrote in a caption on Instagram. "May you and Gianna rest easy!"

His tribute accompanied a poignant photo of the players embracing at the end of a game at Staples Center on March 6, 2016, when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors in a 112-95 upset win. Curry also changed his header photo on Twitter to a snapshot of the 41-year-old shooting guard grinning at him on the court.

Ayesha Curry was equally distraught, directing her condolences toward Bryant's wife, Vanessa, who survives him.

"My heart aches for her and the girls. I’ve written and deleted 100 times today," she wrote. "I have no words and they’re never going to come out the way I want them to. Praying for peace and protection over this family and other families involved. Rest In Peace and power, Gigi and Kobe."

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr cancelled practice for the team on Sunday upon hearing the news. General manager Bob Myers was the only team member available for media interviews on Sunday, and he recalled how he was in awe of Bryant, even in his early years.

“He was probably the most competitive person I’ve ever been around. Just the strength of will, I think, was his defining characteristic,” Myers told the Mercury News. “He was a warrior.”

MORE: The sports world reacts to news of Kobe Bryant's shocking death

The admiration seemed to go both ways.

"I get a kick out of watching Golden State play, because they seem very unassuming," Bryant said in a 2016 interview. "Those guys are stone cold killers, man. They don't care about what you think of them. They don't care if they make a game, win a shot or miss it. They're out there to do their job, and you know, they have a very strong sense of killer instinct."

Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com | Twitter: @byabartlett