AP PHOTOS: Kobe Bryant’s NBA life, in photo form

It’s been a year since Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Southern California.

They were on their way to a basketball tournament on a Sunday morning. Bryant, Gigi — that’s what most called his daughter — and everyone else aboard the helicopter were killed instantly in the crash, officials said.

The Associated Press has moved thousands of photos of Bryant, who won five championships in his 20 NBA seasons, all with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a Grammy winner. He was a best-selling author of children’s books. He will soon be officially enshrined as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Here is Bryant’s NBA life, depicted in photo form:

1996: Bryant was a 17-year-old kid when he entered the NBA and had a childlike grin when the Lakers introduced him as the newest member of their franchise. He never played for another.

1997: Bryant faced a steep learning curve as a rookie, averaging 7.6 points per game. A year…