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Kobe Bryant and Daughter Die in Helicopter Crash; Celebrities Pay Tribute to Kobe Bryant; South Korea Confirms 4 Cases of Virus; Democrats Demand John Bolton Testify After NYT Report; Basketball Legend Kobe Bryant Dies In Helicopter Crash; China Says, Virus Spread Before Symptoms Appear. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired January 27, 2020 - 00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN NEWSROOM: Hello, and thank you for joining us. We continue our breaking news here at CNN on the death of basketball great Kobe Bryant. I am Natalie Allen.

From sports fans to world leaders, so many people around the world are expressing their grief and disbelief after Kobe Bryant's sudden death. The former Lakers star died in a helicopter crash, Sunday. He was 41 years old. He and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, Gigi, she was called, were among nine people killed when the aircraft went down. It crashed onto a hillside in Calabasas, California, that's just outside Los Angeles.

Right now, U.S. aviation officials and local authorities are on the scene investigating what happened.

CNN's Nick Watt is near the crash outside of Los Angeles. He joins us live with more. And we know, Nick, that a news conference was held a short time ago. What more are you learning?

NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we heard from the Coroner's Office, they are going through the gruesome process of collecting remains and then identifying those people who died in this helicopter crash. We are told that that may take a few days. This is a hillside, they say it's inaccessible.

And the first thing that first responders had to deal with when they got here was a brush fire ignited by the impact of that helicopter into the hillside. Now, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Federal Aviation Administration, also working to determine why this helicopter went down. They will, of course, analyze its maintenance record, they will look at the pilot's history, but they will also be looking very closely at the weather.

Now, people around here tell us that it was very foggy. Southern California, in the mornings, you do get what they call the marine layer comes in. There was also a storm front pushing through, so visibility was low, in fact, so low that the Los Angeles Police Department grounded their entire fleet of helicopters this morning because the visibility was not good enough. So the weather will be one factor they will be looking into.

But we also spoke with eyewitnesses who said that they heard the helicopter that just didn't sound right. But, Natalie, for many people around here, that is secondary. They are morning the loss of a man who was a giant here in Los Angeles, played for the Lakers for 20 years, for his entire career, on his final game. And this is something people kept on saying, in his final game in 2016, scored 60 points.

This is a man who also gave back to the community. He was on his way to his sports academy for a game that his daughter was playing in. Mothers who were there waiting with their kids told us that there was just shock in the gymnasium when the news came through. People drop to their knees. There were prayers.

Kobe Bryant went beyond basketball, went beyond sports, went beyond the U.S. He was a giant and he was very, very much loved here in Los Angeles. So that is really what people are still talking about, first of all.

Then we will get to exactly why this happened, why this helicopter went down, nine people. So Kobe, Bryant, his daughter, Gigi, the pilot, we've heard of a baseball coat from Orange County, his wife and daughter still unnamed, also perished, and three other people whose names we do not know yet.

So the investigation will take some time and the grief will also take some time. Natalie?

ALLEN: it certainly will, Nick. And what the helicopter itself? We know that Kobe Bryant traveled often by helicopter and with nine people on board. That sounds like a large craft. Do we know if it was owned by him, leased by him?

WATT: Well, it's slightly unclear at this point. But, yes, I mean, this was a large helicopter that is used generally for what they say for transporting VIPs, capacity of about 15 people, normally.

[00:05:06]

So we don't think that overloading was a problem. And as I say, we believe he was on his way to this basketball tournament at his academy where his daughter was playing.

And that helicopter has a pretty good safety record. It was built in 1991 but that model is very well-known, very well-loved and does have a good safety record. But, of course, these are all things that investigators will be looking into, as they try to piece together what happened.

But the weather, as I say, is right now, I would say, probably prime suspect but no one is drawing any conclusions yet as to why this helicopter went down. Natalie?

ALLEN: All right, we appreciate it. Nick Watt there on the scene for us, thank you, Nick.

Well, Kobe Bryant's former teammate's and NBA friends are sharing their shock, their grief and their memories. Shaquille O'Neil tweeted this. There are no words to express the pain I'm going through with this tragedy of losing my niece, Gigi, and my brother, Kobe Bryant. I love you and you will be missed.

My condolences go out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board.

Another NBA legend, Michael Jordan, issuing this statement saying, I am in shock over the news. Words can't describe the pain I'm feeling. I loved Kobe. He was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often and I will miss those conversations very much.

Magic Johnson echoed Jordan, saying, as I tried to write this post, my mind is racing. I'm in disbelief and had been crying all morning over this devastating news that Kobe and his young daughter, Gigi, have passed away in a helicopter crash. Cookie and I are heartbroken. It's hard to accept, Kobe was a leader of our game, a mentor to both male and female players.

ESPN Host L.Z. Granderson joins me now from Los Angeles with more about Kobe Bryant, the man, the player and his legacy. Thanks so much for talking with us. We know this is such a painful day for those who were close to the game and this man. It's hard to fathom, isn't it, that he is gone. Just hours ago, Kobe Bryant was here. What's top of mind for you as you try and absorb this news?

L.Z. GRANDERSON, ESPN HOST: His family first and foremost. We know that the fans have gone through (INAUDIBLE) player. The Academy Awards will recognize him as an Oscar winner. He's a New York Times Best- Selling Author. But, first and foremost, he was a husband and he was a father. And he passed away in the midst of being a father. And so that's the first thing that comes to my mind, that there's a family right now that has lost its dad.

ALLEN: Yes, I understand so much. We could see the people there in Los Angeles. He was their guy. And as his career came to an end, L.Z., he told the people of L.A. in a letter that they have done so much for him more than he could have ever done for them. And we see the outpouring of love from L.A. right now. This was where it all started and this is where he moved on from his basketball career.

GRANDERSON: Yes. I mean, one of the reasons why Kobe Bryant was so loved in the Los Angeles area is because he arrived here as a teenager. And so in many ways, like you favorite childhood star, we got to see him grow up in the public eye. He went from being a wide- eyed teenager to a 21-year-old man to a husband and then, as I said before, a father, and that all (INAUDIBLE) of Los Angeles. Plus, he's a fierce competitor. The reason why so many NBA legends (INAUDIBLE) because the way that he had (INAUDIBLE) he played, the never give up attitude, this mantra of the Mamba Mentality is the modern day (INAUDIBLE) who are connected to not only basketball (INAUDIBLE) just modern day pop culture era. Kobe Bryant is the author of so many things that did so much for so many people. I remember (INAUDIBLE) the Uber car going to the airport to come back to Los Angeles, and my driver told me that he got the news from his sister from Lebanon that Kobe had died. He didn't know here in the United States, his sister texted him from Lebanon. That's the reach we're talking about.

ALLEN: Oh, my goodness, right, coming from all over the world. We've got live reports from reporters and other places of the world to talk about the outpouring in China, for example, about his death.

Looking back, is there a singular moment that is possible of this unbelievable story and career from covering Kobe Bryant that stands out for you?

[00:10:09]

GRANDERSON: Absolutely. I wasn't editor at ESPN Magazine. And Phil Jackson, the legendary coach, had decided to return to Los Angeles to be the coach of the Lakers again. And we had this idea of how to deal with an NBA cover with Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson. And Kobe makes the idea. He thought he had a better idea. And we were frustrated because we were all ready to go (INAUDIBLE) but Kobe was adamant that we'd do it his way. And you know what, his idea was better. It was an iconic cover.

So when you think about all the different things that Kobe Bryant (INAUDIBLE) for them, this wasn't something that he thought once he retired. He had these interests, this business (ph) he has been part of while being a professional basketball. But when he said goodbye to basketball, he didn't do it having (INAUDIBLE) in the court. He didn't recognize that he had so much more to give and it just became the (INAUDIBLE). That's one of the reasons why this is so heartbreaking.

ALLEN: And, yes, and where he was going from here, of course, he and his daughter, it's just so very sad, they were so close, she loved basketball, he said in an interview that, yes, he thought maybe women could play in the NBA one day and, yes, perhaps his daughter could. And he was evolving. He was a family man, he was always with her at games. And then he was moving on with his career. I remember watching the Oscars and when they said, an Oscar goes to Kobe Bryant, I was like, Kobe Bryant? I mean, he was multitalented. Your example of changing the cover there is an example of that.

GRANDERSON: Yes, I guess. And the Oscar that you referred to that stemmed from a poem that he had written the Players' Tribune called Dear Basketball. And he took that he turned it into an animated short. And that's what led to the Oscar. And if you get ever get a chance to see either the short film or that he has simply read the poem, you are beginning to see he was so much more than just a basketball legend. He was an auteur and he was just getting to explore that.

ALLEN: And let's talk about what set him apart as a ferocious player. We've heard him talking about the fact that he was fearless. He would make any shot. He didn't care if it went in or not. He was fearless. He was competitive. He had a wonderful work ethic as well. GRANDERSON: He actually did. I talked about the Mamba Mentality. He had quite a few monikers that he would adapt from time to time that sort of explained just how obsessed he was to the game of basketball and just being the best that possibly could be. So many players have talked about his (INAUDIBLE) spirit during practices. But one of my favorite stories came from James Worthy. James Worthy, legendary (INAUDIBLE), who won three championships (INAUDIBLE) Kobe had caught him up one day out of the blue, and as for him, you can have the (INAUDIBLE).

Now, this wasn't 17, 18, 19, 21-year-old Kobe Bryant. This was a (INAUDIBLE) Kobe Bryant, because Kobe Bryant already scored 81 points in the game (INAUDIBLE). But you just don't hear a professional athlete of that caliber(INAUDIBLE) like that. But that's just one of the reasons why Kobe was Kobe.

ALLEN: We appreciate your reminiscing in sharing with us. It really adds to our coverage a lot. L.Z. Granderson, thanks so much.

GRANDERSON: Thank you for having me.

ALLEN: Sure thing.

Okay, there's other news that we're going to turn to coming up here. There may be a serious new challenge in stopping the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. We'll have a live report from Beijing about that ahead here.

Also, continued coverage on the death of Kobe Bryant, more reactions from around the sports world ahead here.

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ALLEN: We continue our coverage here on the death of basketball star Kobe Bryant. Crowds have been gathering all day to pay their respects at the Staples Center there in Los Angeles, where the Lakers played. That's where we find CNN's Paul Vercammen, He has been there as well covering this part of the story.

Paul, hello to, and set the scene there for us.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it has been chaotic all day. We're here at Staples Center, outside, I should say. If you look over that way, you will see Staples where the Grammys are just letting out. And, in fact, in this live show, you may see someone come by in a fancy dress or so or you see a choral group over here. These Lakers fans have been here all day and listen to them erupt again into just bursts of Kobe, Kobe, Kobe.

One sentiment that was expressed to us time and time again is these people wanted it to be wrong. They wanted the internet to have story incorrect. They wanted it to be that Kobe Bryant had not passed away. But once they found out that that happened, then they came down here to Staples Center, I would say, a few thousand in and out all day. And they began forming circles and putting together makeshift shrines and putting flowers around it. That's what's going on over there just off to my right where you could (INAUDIBLE). They're grabbing flowers, they're writing things, they're putting down all sorts of kind thoughts.

And (INAUDIBLE) a man is in front of me. Hi, I'm live. I'm on CNN right now. I want to know. You look like you are a diehard Kobe fan, the shirt and all. What's going through your mind right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sad. (INAUDIBLE). I don't know him but (INAUDIBLE) been watching him for like 20 years. And I felt like he was a big part of my life and it feels too bad that we lost someone who is still young. But I just wanted to pay some respect for him.

VERCAMMEN: Is there one moment for you where Kobe just cemented himself as your hero, someone that you would put on his shirt (ph)?

[00:20:05]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think just when he was -- just came out as this young guy that said, I don't care, give me the ball, I'll do whatever it takes to win the game. We saw that earlier in his career. So I was talking to my son over here. I have so many memories of him taking that last game-winning shot. It's countless. You can't even count how many shots that he took where he wasn't scared (INAUDIBLE). And if you (INAUDIBLE), so just paying a little respect and to me, basketball is (INAUDIBLE). This is a sad day. I can remember.

VERCAMMEN: Can we talk to your son if that's okay? I mean, it's a father/son moment here, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes.

VERCAMMEN: Your dad introduced you to the Lakers and Kobe. And what about that bond, what about you being here together now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I come a long way. I feel like I really got more interested in basketball because of him and because of Kobe, because of how he played and his mentality throughout the game. He never -- he always showed good sportsmanship throughout the time and he just -- that's the same way.

VERCAMMEN: Well, I think you, Laker fans, for taking time out. I appreciate it.

You are asking about those sentiments. As you can see, it's just raw emotion, still here at the Staples Center into this Sunday night. Back to you.

ALLEN: All right, Paul Vercammen for us, we know you'll be there. We'll get to hear from other people, so many people grieving the loss, this huge loss of Kobe Bryant. And we're going to tell our viewers we'll continue to bring you more as people around the world react.

Right now, we are going to turn to another major story. We continue to focus on China fighting to contain the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. Its issuing now a dire new warning. People can spread it before any symptoms appear. Tens of millions of people are under virtual lockdown in China. And here are the latest developments.

The head of the World Health Organization is headed to Beijing to help with the response. China has now confirmed more than 2,700 cases and at least 80 deaths. Several other countries have also confirmed cases of the virus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention here in Atlanta says it's preparing as if this is a pandemic. But, of course, hopes it is not. At least five cases have been confirmed here in the United States.

For more, CNN's David Culver is live in Beijing for us. And, David, we know that you have been covering this story from the very start. And it seems like the more we learn about this virus, the worse it gets.

DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Natalie, here is what's really uneasy about this new warning, suggesting from Chinese health officials that the incubation period could be from 1 to 14 days. And within that period of time, essentially two weeks, you could still be transmitting the virus from one person to another. So that those caused neighboring territories and, of course, other countries to react.

Hong Kong, in particular, has said to those who are from Hubei Province, where those who have traveled to that province within the past two weeks not to come. So they are banning folks from traveling into Hong Kong for that reason.

And it also brings up why President Xi Jinping himself has asked for this centralized quarantining of individuals who could potentially have been exposed. And that explains also that the two hospitals that state media reports will be completed in about two weeks' time. One of them really will be done in six days. The other will take about 15. And they are expected to hold more than 2,000 individuals all together.

Now, past hour or so, health officials held another update to give us some more information. Among the concerns they are expressing are for migrant and rural workers, particularly given that this is a period of time, Spring Festival, Lunar New Year, when a lot of people have left the major cities. They've gone home to their original provinces and they're expected to travel back.

Well, they are trying to suggest some education campaigns and suggest that those who don't have experience handling these outbreaks can figure out what they need to be doing to prevent any sort of spread.

And they're also saying that they may even extend the Lunar New Year holiday a little bit longer. Currently, it's extended until February 2nd. That's three days longer than it usually is. They're looking at pushing that back even further just to keep people from coming together in close quarters.

And you've got to figure, a lot of people will be traveling back together by car, air, maybe even by train, and so that would pose a greater risk, particularly given of what we know as this incubation period being a possible transmission from one person to another. That's the most troubling thing as of now, Natalie.

ALLEN: Right. And I just want to ask you about that, the crowds of people that we've seen. We've seen people lining up at the hospitals that were overwhelmed, in tears, so concerned being ill, begging for help.

[00:25:03]

How are these -- all of these people -- there are millions here, but what are you hearing as people try and cope with this and cope with the fear that it could be -- they could get it at any time?

CULVER: I'm glad you asked about, because I have been speaking to folks who are on the ground within the City of Wuhan, in particular. Remember, that's the epicenter of all of this, believed to be the source of the coronavirus. And one woman has actually made the rounds to local hospitals on her own doing. And she says there were some hospitals that actually are empty. They're not seeing crowds of people.

And she wanted to point that out to be the case, because some people are being treated for unrelated illnesses and are still going to those hospitals. Instead, they're directing folks who believe that they have symptoms or are concerned that they may have the coronavirus to go to other locations dedicated to seeing those patients.

And so those are the ones we are seeing having longer lines and floods of people and running out of supplies. That's been a huge issue for healthcare workers including doctors that my team and I here in Beijing connected with have suggested that they're running low on some of face masks, hazmat suits, goggles. And so what is the government doing? Well, the central government seems to be reacting pretty strongly with this and they are going forward with stepping up manufacturing of those hazmat suits in particular.

The Chinese National Health Commission said that they need roughly 100,000 of those protective suits each and every day just for Hubei Province alone. That is 3 million a month. Currently they can only produce about 30,000 a day. So they're bringing in workers again in the midst of the holiday to come back to the factories to start up production so that they can meet those demands.

They're also deploying several medical teams into that region. We know 1,600 deployed just yesterday, Natalie.

ALLEN: It is unreal, and we appreciate your reporting, David Culver. Thank you, David, so much.

Next here, one of the biggest names in football is honoring Kobe Bryant, how Neymar paid tribute to number 24. That's ahead here.

And this last interview with CNN was just 11 days before this fatal helicopter crash. Hear what Kobe had to say about growing up in Italy. That's coming up here as our coverage continues here in the CNN Newsroom.

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ALLEN: An extraordinarily sad day as the world learned of the sudden death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, the former Lakers star dying in a helicopter crash Sunday. He was just 41 years old. He and his 13 year old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed. They were headed to her basketball game.

The helicopter crashed onto a hillside in Calabasas, California. That's just outside of Los Angeles. Right now, U.S. aviation officials and local authorities are on the scene investigating what happened. They say it will take a few days to identify the bodies.

Bryant's professional basketball career began early in his teens, and in 20 seasons, he won five NBA championship rings and set a long list of records.

CNN's Polo Sandoval has more on Bryant's extraordinary life.

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He was born Kobe Bean Bryant, but to the world, the 41-year-old was a global basketball phenomenon. The son of a pro basketball player, the Philly native finished high school and was quickly drafted by the NBA.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Greatness lies ahead for this young man.

SANDOVAL: At the time, Bryant was the youngest player in the league's history at just over 17 years old.

KOBE BRYANT, FORMER NBA PLAYER: I think a lot of people of -- even when I came out of high school, I think people were kind of -- kind of giving me the cold shoulder to begin with, because I think, unfortunately, some people wanted me to fail, because I defied the odds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kobe, Kobe, Kobe!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kobe, Kobe, Kobe!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kobe, Kobe, Kobe!

SANDOVAL: The MVP spent his entire pro career with the L.A. Lakers, winning five NBA championships with the team. During his 20 seasons Bryant became one of the league's top scoring players even surpassed Michael Jordan, becoming fourth on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

On two occasions, he helped secure Team USA Olympic gold on the world stage.

Bryant dealt with controversy, too. In 2003, he was charged with sexual assault, accused of raping a 19-year-old hotel employee. The charge was later dropped, and the case was settled in civil court.

Bryant also overcame various sport-related injuries, always determined to heal and return to the court.

Then in the fall of 2015, he announced his plan to retire from the NBA and played his final game of 2016. The following year, his jersey numbers, 8 and 24, were retired.

Since then, he has made his mark on Hollywood, winning an Academy Award for his animated filmed, "Dear Basketball."

But his greatest accomplishment may have been off the hardwood. He was a husband and proud father of four children.

BRYANT: We all have moments like this in life, where it just seems like the day's never going to end. You know, it just seems like the moment that you're in just feels like the darkest moment, to you. You know, and at that point, you really kind of have to step outside of yourself and put it in perspective. And I understand that, you know, I've had many, many blessings, a lot of things to be thankful for.

SANDOVAL: At 6 foot 6, Bryant was more than just a literal giant. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti wrote Bryant "inspired, amazed and thrilled people everywhere with his incomparable skill on the court and awed us with his intellect and humility as a father, husband, creative genius, and ambassador for the game he loved."

Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Well put from the mayor there.

Superstars, of course, from other sports around the world also paying tribute to Kobe Bryant. This was Brazilian footballer Neymar at Sunday's Paris St. Germain match. Walking into the net after a goal, he flashing hand signals for Bryant's jersey, No. 24. You saw there.

Let's talk more about it. I'm joined here by CNN WORLD SPORT's Patrick Snell, and this, Patrick, is just hard to absorb.

PATRICK SNELL, We're all in shock. We're all taking it very hard. And just an outpouring of worldwide grief, Natalie, no question about that, right across the global sporting community. We're seeing the shock as people struggle to come to terms with Sunday's devastating news.

I do want to continue that footballing theme to pick up on the Neymar, because the Argentine great, Lionel Messi, such huge respect for Kobe. The Barcelona man, via Instagram earlier: "I have no words. All my love for Kobe's family and friends. It was a pleasure to meet you and share good times together. You were a genius like few others."

[00:05:15]

A man like Messi, another footballing icon, with his own tribute, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, CR-7, with this: "So sad to hear the heartbreaking news of the deaths of Kobe and his daughter, Gianna. Kobe was a true legend and inspiration to so many. Sending my condolences to his family and friends and the families of all who lost their lives in the crash. RIP Legend."

Well, naturally, you know, there is no question about Kobe. He really did utterly transcend the world of sport. That is in no doubt at all, and it is just no surprise when you see not just fellow athletes but also, look at as we have been seeing, U.S. presidents both past and present paying their own tributes, as well, on his powerful and highly impactful life. And on Sunday, golfing great, a huge Lakers fan himself, Mr. Tiger Woods, speaking to reporters. This was after he'd actually competed in San Diego, saying he learned of the tragedy from his own caddie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIGER WOODS, 15-TIME MAJOR WINNER: I didn't know until Joey told me coming off the 18th green. I didn't really understand why the people in the gallery were saying do it for Mamba, but now I understand.

It's a shocker to everyone. I'm unbelievably sad, and one of the more tragic days, and I think, well, for me, the reality is just kind of sitting in. Anytime he was in the game, he would take on their best player and shut them down for -- in all 48 minutes, and that was one of the more impressive things, I think, throughout this entire career.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: Tiger Woods visually moved by news of Kobe's passing. And you know, it was actually with a collectively heavy heart, Natalie, that the NBA games, they did actually go ahead as scheduled on Sunday here in the U.S.

So the occasion was reportedly too much for the Australian-born Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who showed up to play against the Knicks but then left Madison Square Garden on learning of Kobe's death. That was really hard for him to take, no question.

But before the game, and indeed before most of the games, a 24-second moment of silence, this in honor of Kobe who, as we mentioned, wore the iconic number 24 during his career.

And in a further tribute, as well, both teams actually arranging for a choreographed 24-second violation on each of their first possessions, as well, their way of paying their own respects to honor the life and times of Kobe Bryant.

Now, the L.A. Lakers' next game is on Tuesday against their local rivals, the Clippers, with emotion set to run very high, indeed, I would, imagine on that particular day in the City of Angels. The Lakers played in Philadelphia on Saturday night, returning to California Sunday. And you can just see the emotion there, all too apparent amongst their players, including current Lakers superstar, the iconic LeBron James.

You know, Doc Rivers is actually the Clippers head coach with Sundays news hitting him particularly hard.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DOC RIVERS, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS HEAD COACH: The news is just

devastating to everybody who knew him. I've known him a long time, and you know, he just -- he means a lot to me, obviously. You know, he was such a great opponent, you know. It's what you want in sports.

He had that DNA that very few athletes can ever have. You know, the Tiger Woods and the Michael Jordans, you know. It's funny: I was getting to know him more since he retired, you know. Yes, this is -- this is a tough one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: Natalie, a really highly emotional Doc Rivers there.

I do want to say I had the pleasure of meeting Kobe just once. It was in late 2014. He was so kind. He was so generous with his time, as well. That's what really impressed upon me. A class act, no question.

ALLEN: Absolutely, and these are tributes on day one. Imagine moving forward here.

SNELL: Yes.

ALLEN: So huge. All right. Patrick, thanks very much.

Well, celebrities at the Grammy Awards paid tribute to Kobe Bryant at the Staples Center Sunday night. We'll show you the tributes from the music world there when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

ALICIA KEYS, SINGER: We love you, Kobe.

(ENE VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Alicia Keys and Boyz II Men there, playing tribute to NBA legend Kobe Bryant at the Grammy awards in Los Angeles. CNN's Stephanie Elam has more reaction from the red carpet outside the Staples Center.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So many people coming down the red carpet, so many musicians that you know and love talking about Kobe Bryant.

You've got to keep in mind that the Grammys are being held in Kobe's house, at the Staples Center. I just went in there not too long ago, and there's pictures of Kobe and Shaq together after winning championships. You can see them throughout the building.

One of the people coming down the carpet this evening is Debbie Allen, the world-renowned dancer. As you know, she is also married to Norm Nixon, who played for the Lakers. And so she knew Kobe Bryant.

And she talked about how the first time that she saw him, he jumped off the bench to say hi to her because of the fact that "Fame" was so big in Italy when he was growing up.

And they also talked about their relationship with Michael Jackson, and then here's the rest of what our conversation was about her relationship with Kobe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBBIE ALLEN, ACTRESS AND DANCER: So Kobe and I have stayed friends, and he was in the middle of creating an entire universe for the world to share: books and movies and theater, and everything, a legacy that will still emerge.

And he was a tremendous supporter of young people in the arts. He was a tremendous supporter of young people in everything. It was what his whole life's work was about. And I'm just feeling such pain today to have lost that big light and wishing his family the best.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And you can hear the emotion in her voice as she was talking about him.

And I have to tell you, I've talked to many people here, legends, to people who are new on the scene, and everyone talking about Kobe, talking about their excitement about being here, but also feeling so sad for the loss of somebody so young, along with his daughter and just how the family must be feeling.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Stephanie Elam. She was there for the Grammys, but much attention turned to Kobe Bryant and this news, of course.

Right now, we want to recap another major story we continue to follow. That is the Wuhan coronavirus.

China has now confirmed 80 deaths and more than 2,700 cases. It also says people can spread the virus without showing symptoms. That is a major problem for countries like South Korea, which has confirmed at least four people have the virus there.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is live in Seoul outside a hospital where one patient is being treated for the virus.

Paula, hello. What's the latest?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Natalie, this is a hospital in downtown Seoul where a South Korean man was brought in on Friday. He had suspected coronavirus. He was then met from the ambulance by medical staff in hazmat suits, taking no chances, no risks. And in fact, he did test positive, and he is in stable condition, we understand, within the hospital at the moment. Now, you can see the sort of precautions they're putting into place.

You have this tent here. This is where those who call through and say that they're concerned about they may have symptoms, they may be a victim, they come to this area first. And this is basically to make sure, as we have seen in many different places around the world, that those potential patients of coronavirus are not mixing with the general population, not mixing with a hospital filled with people who are already sick.

Now the worrying, you can probably here in the background, is the portable CT scan, as well, the only one in Korea, we understand, which is going to be testing potential patients, as well, again, to make sure that the same equipment is not being used for those that may have this virus, as the general population.

Now, we have seen this is spreading regionally. It is spreading globally. At this point, we have 50 confirmed cases in 13 different places. Now, for example, some of these countries are now also trying to evacuate their citizens out of Wuhan, which is the ground zero for this virus. That is a city of 11 million people. It is on lockdown at this point.

We know that the United States, from the State Department, is going to be chartering a flight and trying to take some of its citizens out of that area. They have a consulate general, a consulate in the city. They're going to take all the diplomats out. They have closed down that facility, and they say they are going to take as many U.S. citizens out as they can. South Korea at this point is looking into whether they can evacuate some of their citizens. The foreign ministry are saying they have more than 400 people there at this point. And this is something Japan is looking to do, France, and other countries, as well, trying to make sure that their citizens are protected -- Natalie.

ALLEN: It certainly is getting worse than getting better at this point. Paula Hancocks with the latest from the region. Thank you, Paula.

We turn to U.S. politics now. A bombshell revelation on the Ukraine controversy is adding to the Trump impeachment drama in Washington.

"The New York Times" is reporting that former national security adviser John Bolton wrote in a draft of his book that the president told him that he wanted to keep withholding military aid to Ukraine until they helped investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and other Democrats.

Again, Bolton apparently wrote this in an initial draft of his upcoming book, "The Room Where it Happened: A White House Memoir." A source with direct knowledge of the manuscript tells CNN "The New York Times" telling of Bolton's account is accurate.

The news has congressional Democrats demanding Bolton must testify, adding to the uncertainty on whether the Senate will vote to subpoena witnesses for the trial.

CNN national security analyst Samantha Vinograd explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAMANTHA VINOGRAD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Senators did not need another reason to call Ambassador Bolton. There was an overwhelming set of reporting that he had information deeply relevant to this inquiry.

What we learned tonight from this reporting is that John Bolton may have the smoking gun, in that he may have a firsthand account of President Trump directly linking an official act, namely, the provision of security assistance, to a personal political need, the investigation of the Bidens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Samantha Vinograd there for us. And in a little more than 12 hours, President Trump's impeachment trial will continue, with his legal team resuming their defense on the Senate floor.

Well, President Trump just fired off a series of tweets about Bolton, writing in part, "I never told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book." That, a tweet from the president.

[00:50:10]

Of course, the impeachment trial resuming in just a few hours. So there will be much more from Washington on this.

Next here, more on the death of Kobe Bryant. CNN was there for one of his final interviews. Less than two weeks before the tragedy unfolded, CNN sat down with Kobe. We'll have a portion of that for you, next.

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[00:54:21]

ALLEN: Again, Sunday was a tragic loss as people around the world have tributes to Kobe Bryant. The former Los Angeles Laker, and his 13- year-old daughter, Gigi, were were among those killed in a helicopter crass.

CNN conducted one of Bryant's final interviews just 11 days ago. Our Andy Scholes sat down with him at a launch event for Major League Soccer. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: The NBA fans love to debate, you know, which team from which era was better. Shaq recently weighed in, saying that he absolutely thinks you and him would have beaten this current Lakers team with LeBron, Anthony Davis. What's your take on that hypothetical match-up? BRYANT: I don't weigh in on hypotheticals. I never -- I never have. Those things drive me crazy, right, because as a competitor you can't -- there's nothing you can do about them. You can't debate yourself into winning something, right? That was the beauty about sports is you compete. You either win or you lose. In the debate culture, there's never a clear winner, so it's kind of pointless for me. I don't engage in those things.

SCHOLES: All right.

BRYANT: But it's fun to hear.

SCHOLES: You recently said your daughter Gigi got you back into watching a lot of NBA.

BRYANT: Yes.

SCHOLES: You've taken her to a bunch of games. You're sitting courtside with her. As you watch games with her and coach her through her basketball journey, I wanted to get your take on if you think a woman could ever play in the NBA one day.

BRYANT: Play in the NBA, I think there are a couple players that can play in the NBA right now, honestly. There's a lot of players that have a lot of skill that could do it. Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore. There's a lot of great players out there. Elena Delle Donne. So they could most certainly keep up with me.

SCHOLES: I know you were a big soccer fan growing up in Italy when you were a kid. I wanted to get your thoughts on what seems to be an increase in racism in European football and if there's anything that could be done to combat it.

BRYANT: It's always educational. You know, understand that racism is the thing that's a -- you know, part of our culture for a while, even though now we've come such a long way. But there's still so much to be done.

And I think education is always the most important thing. I think speaking up and taking a stand, a significant stand. You know, when I was growing up in Italy, I've obviously witnessed it firsthand, going to certain soccer matches and things of that nature, and things that my parents have taught me and educated me on how to deal with those sorts of things, and looking at various muses, that I've handled things extremely well, from Jackie Robinson onto Bill Russell and so forth and so on. So I think education is very important.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Kobe Bryant speaking with our Andy Scholes there just days ago. We'll have more coverage of Bryant's death after a quick break here.

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