The particular photographer who managed to capture number 24's photo was Martin Graf, who, in 2013, took Bryant in a shark cage to have a close look in his facility called Shark Diver.The director of communications for Shark Diver, Cindy Michaels, told CNN that Bryant came on a private yacht and spent a large portion of that same day with the diving group. She explained that although Shark Diver was not in contact with Bryant's close friends and family as of yet, she would love them to know that the shark community "appreciated him.""Our hearts go out to everyone involved and the families and friends and we just, we want to make it special for them and for the shark community and those who are his fellow divers," Michaels told CNN. "I think it's just kind of a cool thing to do for him."
Shark #24 at great white hotspot named after Kobe Bryant
A great white off the coast of Guadalupe Island was spotted in a regular gathering spot for the breed and, as he was recorded as #24 in the MCSI database, was named after the basketball legend.
