Kobe Bryant ‘s longtime agent and close confidant Rob Pelinka is devastated by the deaths of the NBA icon and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna . On Thursday, Pelinka, who serves as Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, released an emotional statement about the Jan. 26 helicopter crash that killed Kobe, Gianna and seven more victims in Calabasas, California. “I lost my best friend and my sweet goddaughter. With that, there has been an amputation of part of my soul,” began Pelinka, 50, who left Landmark Sports Agency to join the Lakers organization in 2017. “Kobe was a force of nature, deep and obsessed with excellence. He was wise, determined, passionate. A visionary beyond measure. A dedicated and loving husband, and a ‘girl-dad’ like no other,” he continued. “When he walked into a room, the energy ignited. He was high voltage, with a motor that had no limits. His mind had an infinite capacity to learn. He was, simply put, the most in...