Had an encounter with cumulo granite did they?
Saw an interview on Fox this eve where the fella being interviewed claimed Bryant was the smartest basketball player ever. That speaks poorly of Bryant's peers, mostly because it seems likely he could have hired a more competent pilot if he really was smart. I'm doubtful.
I imagine that pilot was competent. I read he had maintained an ATP since 2008. I also imagine that multi-millionaire, world famous Kobe Bryant must have made him an offer (to fly him and his party to the Mamba basketball tournament that Kobe was sponsoring and hosting) that he couldn't refuse. I imagine the pilot made a "business decision" that went bad. My neighbor, back in the late 1970s, was an on call biz jet pilot. He was sick of the work, but it paid the rent. The stories he told me, (of the demands of his rich and powerful clients) would curl your toes.
