Kobe and Gianna Bryant: Fresno basketball fans react to tragic death

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Inside JR's Sports Collectibles in Clovis, the news of what happened to basketball legend Kobe Bryant is hitting hard.

Argimiro Bustos is a Kobe Fan. He can't believe the hall of famer died in a tragic helicopter crash Sunday morning.

Eight other people, including Kobe's 13-year-old daughter, were also in that aircraft. All of them died.

"It's hard to believe he's gone," Bustos said. "He was a good basketball player. He gave it all and left it all out there."

Ryan Palmer is also devastated. He works at this store and rushed home after learning what happened to get Kobe's #8 jersey.

"When you lose somebody as great as Kobe, people just want wear his stuff," Palmer said. "Now, his shoes. Everything. I went home on my lunch and got my jersey. It just really sucks."

That's the same story across town at JR's Northwest Fresno store.

Within hours of opening, a section of the wall was left empty, a place where Kobe's jersey's once hung. And now they are sold out.

But to keep the the Lakers star's memory alive, employees went into storage and brought out old collectibles to honor the late basketball player.

Bryant was a man who influenced many people in the Central Valley, both on and off the court.

"My prayers go out to his family," Bustos said.