Kobe Bryant’s father and the former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant has passed away. He enjoyed a distinguished basketball career, both as a player and a coach.
Former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, passed away at the age of 69. The cause of Bryant’s death had not been disclosed as of Tuesday morning.
La Salle University, where Bryant both played and coached, expressed their sorrow in a statement, describing him as a cherished member of their community who will be deeply missed.
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Fran Dunphy, a well-known basketball coach in the Philadelphia area and the current head coach at La Salle, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that Bryant had recently suffered a massive stroke.
Following the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the life of his son Kobe, along with Kobe’s daughter Gianna and seven others in January 2020, Joe Bryant kept a low profile. Kobe once praised his father in a 2010 ESPN interview, acknowledging Joe’s significant influence on his understanding and approach to basketball.
Joe and Pam Bryant, married for nearly 50 years, had a sometimes strained relationship with Kobe. However, they were present in the front row at the memorial service in Los Angeles a month after the accident.
Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow, expressed her condolences on Instagram, noting that despite their limited time together, Joe was always kind and Kobe loved him deeply.
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Joe Bryant enjoyed a distinguished basketball career, both as a player and a coach. He starred at La Salle University, averaging 20.8 points per game over two seasons. He was selected in the first round of the 1975 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors and soon after joined the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers commemorated Bryant as a local basketball legend in their statement, highlighting his impact from Bartram High School to his NBA years.
Doug Young, a former high school teammate of Kobe, praised Joe as an inspirational mentor and role model during their time at Lower Merion.
Arn Tellem, vice chairman of the Pistons and Kobe’s former agent, mourned Bryant’s passing, describing him as a beloved figure whose warmth touched everyone he met. Tellem recalled how their friendship paved the way for him to represent Kobe as he entered the NBA, a memory he will always treasure.
Standing 6-foot-9, Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA with the 76ers, Clippers, and Rockets, averaging 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 606 games. He was part of the 1976-77 Sixers team that reached the NBA Finals.
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After nearly a decade playing abroad in France and Italy, Bryant began his coaching career in 1992. He served as the head coach of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks for three seasons and held various coaching positions at the professional and college levels in the U.S., Japan, and Thailand.