Vanessa Bryant changes Instagram profile to picture of Kobe and Gianna

Kobe, Gianna and seven others died Sunday in helicopter crash

Vanessa Bryant has changed her Instagram profile picture to Kobe and Gianna (Getty)

Vanessa Bryant has posted an Instagram tribute to her late husband Kobe and the couple’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna after both died in a helicopter crash.

On Wednesday, Vanessa changed her Instagram profile picture to a photo of her husband embracing Gianna. She made the change after initially switching her Instagram account to private following the news that Bryant, Gianna and seven others had died on Sunday in Calabasas, California.

The picture, which shows Gianna, also known as Gigi, embracing her father as she stares up at him, was taken at the 2016 NBA All-Star Game in Toronto - the same year that the former Lakers player retired from the NBA, according to NBC News.

Vanessa, who was married to the basketball legend for nearly 20 years, has not yet commented publicly about the tragedy. She did, however, switch her Instagram back to public.

In addition to Gigi, the couple was also parents to daughters: Natalia, 17, Bianka, three, and Capri, seven months.

Vanessa Bryant has changed her Instagram picture to one of her husband and daughter (Instagram)

Vanessa Bryant has paid tribute to her husband and daughter with 2016 picture (Getty)

Just weeks before his death, Bryant had dedicated an Instagram post to his wife for their anniversary, in which he called her his “Queen”.

“On this day 20 years ago, I met my best friend, my Queen Vanessa Bryant,” the NBA star had written. “I decided to take her on a date to Disneyland tonight to celebrate old school style (pre four princesses) I love you mamacita per sempre.”

The helicopter carrying the group was headed to Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks when it crashed.