Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant wanted to die young and be immortalised, according to Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady.

Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday, along with seven others in Calabasas, California.

A five-time NBA champion and 2008 MVP, Bryant was good friends with seven-time All-Star McGrady – who played for the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and San Antonio Spurs.

McGrady broke down in tears as he remembered Bryant – a two-time Finals MVP – on Monday.

"I'm devastated, just like everybody else. I know this sounds crazy, but he spoke this, he used to say all the time 'I wanna die young, I wanna be immortalised and have my career be better than Michael Jordan and I want to die young'," McGrady told ESPN.

"And I just thought he was so crazy for saying that. And when I got the news yesterday I just could not believe it."

McGrady added: "Clearly that statement was way before kids. I'm sure once he had kids, he didn't have that mindset."

Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, where he retired following a memorable 60-point performance in 2016.

After entering the league in 1996, Bryant scored 33,643 points – fourth on the all-time list having been surpassed by LeBron James on Saturday – in 1,346 games.