RIP

LeBron James is back to doing what Kobe Bryant would probably want him to do -- putting in work at the Lakers practice facility to gear up for his big game on Friday.

Bron and Lakers teammate Anthony Davis were grinding hard outside the team facility in El Segundo, CA on Wednesday ... working on their abs, footwork and even doing some soccer drills.

The Lakers haven't played since Saturday -- and a game scheduled for Tuesday was postponed in the wake of Kobe's death.

But at this point, the Lakers are still scheduled to play on Friday at Staples Center against Carmelo Anthony's Portland Trail Blazers ... in what will certainly be an emotional event for the players and the fans.

We're told the Lakers are planning on paying tribute to Kobe in some way on Friday, but the details are still being worked out. You can expect a moment of silence at the very least.

The last time LeBron took the court, he passed Kobe on the NBA's all-time scoring list ... moving up to #3.

After the game, Kobe tweeted at Bron saying, "Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother."

It was Kobe's final tweet.

Kobe was not only close with LeBron and several other Lakers players, but was super-tight with Carmelo. And he played with Trevor Ariza during TA's time with the Lake Show.

Rick Fox says the rumors he had died on the helicopter with Kobe Bryant Sunday "shook" his family ... with Kenny Smith saying he exploded into tears when he found out Fox was alive.

"It was hard to deal with," Fox said on TNT's "Inside the NBA" special Tuesday night. "It shook a lot of people in my life."

Shortly after Kobe's chopper went down in Calabasas this weekend ... reports began to swirl that Fox -- Bryant's ex-teammate -- was on-board with the NBA legend in the fatal crash.

Fox says the rumors turned his family upside-down ... with his best friend, Monmouth men's basketball head coach King Rice, calling him frantically to make sure he was OK.

"I said, 'I'm going to talk to my best friend' and I answered it and I said, 'Hey, man, this is crazy about Kobe,'" Fox said. "And he just was bawling."

"And I started crying. And he was like, 'You're alive!' And I'm thinking, 'Yeah, like, what do you mean?' And it was in that moment that my phone just started going."

Fox said his mom, his brother and his sister all called, adding, "Look, this has been a lot to process for all of us."

Smith said his experience with the rumors were an emotional ride as well ... and he broke down on the set talking about the relief he felt when Fox finally texted him back that he was alive.

"The race to be first and tell a story, you don't know what it does to people," Smith said.

Minnesota Vikings legend and NFL Hall of Famer Chris Doleman has died after a lengthy battle with brain cancer ... the Vikes confirmed late Tuesday night. He was 58 years old.

"Chris was a great example for players past and present, as he embodied all the best characteristics of a Viking -- resilience, toughness and a competitive spirit," the Vikings said in a statement.

"Chris always carried himself with dignity and class. Vikings fans worldwide will greatly miss him."

Doleman was picked with the Vikes' No. 4 overall selection in the 1985 NFL Draft ... and after he switched to defensive end in the 1987 season, his career took off.

Doleman became one of the league's all-time great pass rushers -- recording double-digit sacks in 8 of his 15 NFL seasons -- finishing with 150.5 total QB takedowns.

But, Chris tragically had brain surgery in January 2018 and was later diagnosed with glioblastoma ... a disease he was forced to battle with until his death Tuesday.

"The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Chris Doleman after a prolonged and courageous battle against cancer," HOF president and CEO David Baker said.

Demand for Kobe Bryant memorabilia is surging like crazy in the wake of his death -- with collectors paying INSANE prices to scoop up valuable items, TMZ Sports has learned.

But, with the high demand comes scam artists looking to push fakes ... and the market is already on high alert.

We spoke with multiple high-end collectible dealers who are all saying the same thing ... people are clamoring for anything Kobe ... and they're paying anywhere from 2x to 20x the price Kobe stuff was fetching before his death.

For example, a game-worn and signed Kobe jersey from the 2004-2005 season was expected to hit $6,000 before his death ... but pre-bidders have already bumped the price to a starting $6,500 and the auction still runs for another month!

Another high-end dealer who didn't want to be mentioned by name says an extremely rare Kobe basketball card (which was originally expected to sell around the $2,500 range) has sold in the private market after Kobe's death for nearly $50,000.

Other dealers have told us straight-up they're pressing pause on selling Kobe items because it doesn't feel right to capitalize on emotional fans.

As for the fakes, multiple dealers have told us it's not uncommon for forgers to push out fake items and fake signatures on eBay and other platforms.

"I’m not doing well. I’m sick."

That's Shaquille O'Neal admitting he's really struggling after the death of his "brother" Kobe Bryant -- saying he hasn't eaten or slept since finding out the horrible news.

"It just hurts," Shaq said on his "The Big Podcast with Shaq" show ... noting that he was already in bad shape because his sister, Ayesha, also passed away recently.

"I’m just getting over the death of my sister. You guys told me the other day when I came in, I looked like I needed some rest. And I haven’t been sleeping after Ayesha’s death."

Shaq opened up and talked all about his relationship with Kobe -- the good times and the bad times -- saying despite the way it looked in public, it was all love behind-the-scenes.

"All the stuff that is documented between us .. this is what brothers do."

"I love Kobe Bryant. I'm the first to say ... I've got 4 rings ... I couldn't have gotten 3 without him."

Shaq says he's glad the two became closer in recent years -- but wishes they would have communicated more because he really loved and respected KB.

A team of NTSB investigators is painstakingly sifting through the huge debris field where Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashed, and this video shows how difficult the job will be.

The agency released this drone footage over the Calabasas hillside. You can see investigators rummaging through scattered parts of the Sikorsky S-76. Most of the aircraft is in tiny pieces ... although one large chunk of the tail section is almost intact.

In the video, you can see investigators picking up individual pieces of the motor -- and law enforcement sources tell us all of the parts will be shipped to Arizona. The NTSB will reassemble the aircraft there.

As we reported, L.A. County Sheriff's deputies are patrolling the area to protect it from looters.

Kobe Bryant's high school will honor the NBA star with a 33 second moment of silence at Tuesday night's basketball games ... to honor the man who used to wear #33.

A rep for Lower Merion High School in the Philadelphia area tells us the boys and girls varsity teams will take on Upper Darby High at the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium starting at 7 PM.

This is the first home game for the LMHS Aces since Kobe's death -- and school officials plan to address the community before the games tip-off.

"Principal Sean Hughes will read a statement on behalf of the school community. The statement will be followed by 33 seconds of silence, as 33 was the number worn by Mr. Bryant when he was an LM Aces player."

School officials ultimately decided NOT to cancel the games because they believe Kobe would WANT the players to compete.

In fact, head basketball coach Gregg Downer met with the players in private on Monday and said -- "Kobe would want the balls bouncing, the sneakers squeaking and you doing what he loved and what you love."

Kobe played for LMHS from 1992 to 1996 -- where he racked up 2,883 points and led the team to a state championship in 1996.

After his stellar high school career, Kobe went straight to the pros -- drafted 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft.

Kobe's #33 high school jersey was retired by Lower Merion in 2002 at a ceremony attended by his parents, teachers and even Shaquille O'Neal.

Kobe Bryant's most passionate fans are flocking to the Lakers team facility to say goodbye to the NBA legend ... with thousands of supporters signing a massive tribute to Mamba.

The video is incredible ... huge whiteboards featuring Kobe's face have been placed outside the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo so fans can share words for Bryant.

Along with the messages, photos of Kobe, ballons and flowers have added up outside the team building.

The tribute spans at least 100 feet ... and sits right outside the facility's entrance.

Fans have been honoring Bryant and his daughter, GiGi, in front of Staples Center as well ... with some even throwing paper balls into a trash can and yelling "Kobe," like most people did growing up.

Kobe, GiGi and 7 others were killed in a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday. As we reported, there have been talks that the future Hall of Famer's memorial service could be held at the L.A. Coliseum, as Staples could be too small.

Kobe Bryant's public memorial could be such a massive event, organizers are considering holding it at the famous L.A. Coliseum because the Staples Center simply isn't big enough.

Our sources tell us ... a meeting took place this week to discuss where Kobe's eventual memorial might go down in the coming weeks or even months. People who were in the room say a few venues were considered -- some made more sense than others.

Of course, the Staples Center is considered "The House That Kobe Built" -- but it only holds around 20,000 people ... and judging by the massive response to his death, organizers feel they should be ready for a MUCH larger crowd.

The Coliseum holds roughly 80,000 people -- and the surrounding parks are capable of holding many, many more. It seems the most logical option at this point.

The Rose Bowl was also brought up as a possible venue -- since it holds nearly 91,000 -- but we're told Pasadena is just too far away.

Our sources say no official decision has been made yet, but the conversation is underway. As for Kobe's funeral service, no decisions have been made about that either.

It could be some time before the memorial is booked because everyone in Kobe's immediate life is still shattered and reeling from the tragedy.

Kobe was just 41 when he died Sunday. His daughter, Gianna, who also passed away in the helicopter crash, was only 13.

New images from the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash site prove what NTSB investigators are saying -- there was no chance for survival -- as the aircraft burst into a huge ball of flames.

These photos were taken by a mountain biker who was on a nearby trail when the helicopter slammed into the hillside around 9:45 AM Sunday. The biker says he took the pics at 9:49 AM ... which explains why the flames are so intense in these photos.

You can also see the debris field ... which L.A. County Sheriff's deputies are now patrolling, on horseback and ATVs, to protect the area from looters.

As we reported, the Sikorsky S-76 was at about 1,700 feet when it crashed. Flight tracker data also shows the chopper's speed was about 161 knots. Several experienced pilots tell us they're baffled the pilot, Ara Zoboyan, was going that fast in heavy fog.

In the seconds prior to crashing, Zobayan took the helicopter from 1200 feet to 2000 feet within a matter of seconds. It appears he cleared one hillside, only to strike the next.

All 8 passengers -- Kobe, his daughter, Gianna, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, Christina Mauser -- and the pilot perished.

Kobe Bryant spent his Saturday night playing with his 3-year-old daughter, Bianka ... just hours before his tragic death, TMZ Sports has learned.

We obtained footage of the 41-year-old spending some quality time with Bianka at the Fashion Island mall in Newport Beach the night before the tragedy ... playing at the center's koi pond and walking through the stores.

We're told they looked adorable together -- just enjoying each other's company. The Bryants were regulars at the mall and other local spots. In other words, it wasn't unusual to see Kobe around town with his kids.

The footage is devastating to watch ... knowing it's the last outing Bianka had with her dad.

Juice WRLD had a massive cache of unreleased music when he died, and some of those songs could find their way onto a new album.

Sources close to Juice WRLD tell TMZ ... the rapper had about 2,000 unreleased tracks when he passed, and his team is discussing ways to pay tribute with his unheard work. We're told there are several ideas being floated around, including a posthumous album or music release.

Juice WRLD was constantly recording, whether at home or on the road. Our sources say he didn't do much besides ride his dirt bike and record music. Point is ... his creativity was flowing.

As you know, 26 of Juice's unreleased songs were leaked online last week, but they were quickly scrubbed from the Internet.

Our sources say most of Juice WRLD's music was kept under lock and key, but he would sometimes go to the studio and download tracks onto hard drives, and we're told his team believes that's what led to the leak.

TMZ broke the story ... Juice WRLD died last month from an accidental overdose of Oxycodone and codeine following a drug bust at Midway Airport in Chicago.

Jamie Foxx, like the rest of the world, is still in shock over Kobe Bryant's death -- that's obvious in this video -- but he mustered the strength to honor the "legendary" baller.

The Grammy and Oscar winner was out Monday night leaving Tao in Hollywood when a photog asked if he had any words for Kobe's family. and friends. He got a bit choked up, but then spoke earnestly about how Kobe "made us think about love."

Jamie went on to get pretty deep -- talking about Kobe's transition from being a "legend" in life to what he can be now. He also talked about God's plan, and doubts people might have in the wake of such a tragedy.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Kobe, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others perished Sunday when the helicopter they were riding in crashed in Calabasas.

LeBron James says he can't stop crying over the death of his great friend, Kobe Bryant ... saying in an emotional goodbye letter, "I’m heartbroken and devastated my brother!!"

James penned the words in a lengthy social media post Monday night ... addressing Bryant's death for the first time since Mamba, his daughter, Gianna and 7 other people were killed in a tragic helicopter crash Sunday.

"Man I sitting here trying to write something for this post but every time I try I begin crying again just thinking about you, niece Gigi and the friendship/bond/brotherhood we had!" James said.

"I literally just heard your voice Sunday morning before I left Philly to head back to LA. Didn’t think for one bit in a million years that would be the last conversation we’d have."

James and Bryant had a friendship that dated back more than a decade ... the two were competitors in the NBA for years and were teammates on Team USA at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

The two obviously grew closer when LeBron left Cleveland for Los Angeles in 2018 ... and, in fact, Kobe's last-ever post on social media was congratulating Bron for passing him on the NBA's all-time scoring list over the weekend.

"Man I love you big bro." Lebron said in his letter to Kobe. "My heart goes to Vanessa and the kids. I promise you I’ll continue your legacy man! You mean so much to us all here especially #LakerNation💜💛 and it’s my responsibility to put this sh*t on my back and keep it going!!"

The pilot of the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his daughter and 6 other passengers got in big trouble with fog -- they seemed to abort the trip and tried returning home, barely clearing one mountain range, but never slowed down ... this according to the flight tracker and several experienced helicopter pilots in the L.A. area.

As we reported, the pilot had to circle near the Downtown L.A. area -- near the L.A. Zoo -- for 15 minutes because of bad weather ahead. As we reported ... the LAPD had grounded its helicopter fleet because of fog at around the same time Kobe's helicopter took off.

The pilot was following a visual flight plan and was cleared by the tower to proceed north, toward Thousand Oaks where Kobe was taking his daughter for a basketball game. When he got to the Calabasas area, the fog became blinding.

As we reported, the pilot was way too low --  at 1,250 feet. The pilots we spoke with say it's clear based on the abrupt change on the flight tracker ... the pilot panicked and quickly ascended to 2,000 feet. We're told he cleared a mountain range by 100 feet, and the pilots we spoke with say he was so low he almost certainly saw the tops of the mountain.

The NBA has officially postponed Tuesday night's Lakers vs. Clippers game at Staples Center in L.A. out of respect for the Lakers organization, which is reeling from the death of Kobe Bryant.

"The decision was made out of respect for the Lakers organization, which is deeply grieving the tragic loss of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people in a helicopter crash on Sunday," the NBA said in a statement.

"The game will be rescheduled at a later date."

LeBron James was seen sobbing when he got off the Lakers' team plane at LAX on Sunday following a game in Philadelphia against the Sixers.

We've been told several players, staffers and other Lakers employees -- many of whom have known Kobe for years -- are simply inconsolable and not ready to go to work.

Kobe played for the Lakers for 20 years and built lasting relationships with so many people.