Of course they're both sad, any time innocent people die it is sad. But that wasn't the point being made and I'm not sure why you're trying to conflate the two.
They were talking about how famous one of the most famous NBA players of all time is, compared to the chairman of a mid-sized Premier...
Not sure you can compare the two - Kobe Bryant probably one of the most famous sportsmen in the World in his prime. His generation's equivalent to Michael Jordan.