Basketballs left at Lower Merion High School's Kobe Bryant memorial donated to PAL

LOWER MERION TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The basketballs left outside Lower Merion High School in memory of Kobe Bryant have been donated.

People started leaving items outside the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium after news broke that the NBA legend, his daughter, and seven other people were killed in a helicopter crash last month.

Lower Merion School District says the basketballs left at the memorial were donated to Police Athletic League (PAL) Centers across the city.

"LMSD hopes the children who will play with them are inspired by Kobe's work ethic, drive for excellence and love of the game," the district said.

On Saturday, the high school held a special ceremony to honor Bryant. The tribute took place between the girls' game against Southern Lehigh High School and the boys' game against Souderton High School.

Lower Merion High School pays tribute to Kobe Bryant during a ceremony at the gym named after him.

In Los Angeles, 1,300 basketballs were collected from a makeshift memorial outside the Staple Center on Tuesday. They will be stored at the request of the Bryant family.

The helicopter crash in Calabasas, California killed Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, Ara Zobayan, John Altobelli, Kerri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and Christina Mauser.