Kobe Bryant dead: Shaquille O'Neal stunned by death of former LA Lakers team-mate

Shaquille O'Neal said there were "no words" that could adequately describe the tragedy and the pain he felt at Kobe Bryant's death.

The pair were team-mates with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 until O'Neal retired in 2004.

Their relationship was not always harmonious, but news of Bryant's death in a helicopter crash, along with eight other people including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, on Sunday left O'Neal devastated.

He wrote on Twitter: "There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my neice Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW."

There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my neice Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/pigHywq3c1

— SHAQ (@SHAQ) January 26, 2020

O'Neal posted poignant pictures of he and Bryant together, showing they often shared a friendly bond on and off the court.