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Kobe Bryant's sports academy retires 'Mamba' nickname

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Southern California sports academy previously co-owned by the late Kobe Bryant has retired his "Mamba" nickname and rebranded itself nearly four months after the basketball icon's death in a helicopter crash.

Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed as they flew to a basketball tournament Jan. 26 at the Mamba Sports Academy when the chopper crashed in thick fog northwest of Los Angeles.

The Thousand Oaks-based facility announced Tuesday it would return to its original name of Sports Academy and retire the "Mamba" name to the rafters.

The helicopter crash remains under investigation.