'Thank you for changing my life': Louisville basketball commit honors Kobe Bryant

Following the sudden death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, a University of Louisville women's basketball recruit took to social media to honor the star.

Hailey Van Lith, a five-star commit from Cashmere, Washington, trained with Bryant over the summer of 2019. The master of Mamba mentality and his 13-year-old daughter Gigi traveled to Washington to see Van Lith play this month.

Pictures of the two with Van Lith, including one where they flashed the Cardinals’ signature L hand sign, quickly made their way through social media channels.

Kobe and Gigi Bryant were among nine people who died in a helicopter crash Sunday in Southern California.

"I am at a loss for words. I can only be thankful God gave me time to build a friendship and mentorship with both of you. Never have I seen a passion for life burn so bright in two individuals," Van Lith wrote on an Instagram post Sunday evening.

"Thank you for changing my life," she added. "Conversations I shared with you both touched my heart and I will cherish them forever."

Read this:What we know about crash that killed NBA, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant

Van Lith was not alone in mourning the death of the five-time NBA champion. Former University of Louisville star Donovan Mitchell and former University of Kentucky star Tyler Herro called on the professional basketball league to retire one of Bryant's numbers, 24.

University of Louisville men's basketball coach Chris Mack described the death as "gut wrenching" and encouraged his Twitter followers to "hug your loved ones."

And politicians, such as Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, made social media posts to honor Bryant.

More:Kentucky sports world reacts to the shocking death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant

Contact Ben Tobin at bjtobin@gannett.com and 502-582-4181 or follow on Twitter @TobinBen. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: subscribe.courier-journal.com.