I agree with you, I do not believe he had any chance to auto rotate down
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7931909/Kobe-Bryant-dies-Calabasas-helicopter-crash.html
“When it struck the ground, the helicopter was flying at about 160 knots (184 mph) and descending at a rate of more than 4,000 feet per minute, flight data showed.”
Heard on the radio this morning on the drive in that he was recorded going 180kts lateral and 60+kts down vertical at the time of the crash.
That would put him at ~189kts at roughly 1-5* entry angle into the ground. Assuming the ground was upsloping it basically has him driving straight in nose first or at a slight up angle at best. Never saw it coming or too late to affect a change in relevant downward motion compared to the ground.