The Los Angeles Lakers are reeling from the tragic news that General Manager Mitch Kupchak's 15-year-old daughter Alina has passed away.
The NBA team released a statement on Monday, Jan. 5, announcing the sad news before Lakers team members and NBA stars past and present conveyed their sympathies to the bereaved family.
"Alina Claire Kupchak, daughter of Lakers General Manager Mitch and his wife Claire, passed away this morning at the age of 15 after a lengthy illness," the Lakers team statement read. "The family asks for and appreciates their privacy at this difficult time, and would like to express their gratitude for everyone's love, support, thoughts and prayers."
Retired basketball player Magic Johnson was one of the many sportsmen to express his sadness at the tragic news.
"My condolences go out to a super friend and teammate, Mitch Kupchak and his wife Claire on the passing of their 15 year old daughter Alina," Johnson shared via Twitter, before urging fans to keep Kupchak and his family in their prayers.
Fellow athlete Kobe Bryant added his own sympathies, tweeting, "My prayers are with the Kupchak family. There are no words to describe such a loss R.I.P Alina #LakerFamily."
Kupchak, who also has a son, Maxwell, 18, has been General Manager of the popular NBA team since 2000. He has led the Lakers to four championship titles since then, in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010.
