Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, Kobe’s father and former NBA player, dies at 69

Last updated: 2024/07/16 at 4:15 PM

BigP Published July 16, 2024

Former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of late NBA icon Kobe Bryant, has died. He was 69.

“We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant,” La Salle‘s men’s basketball program posted on social media. “Joe played for the Explorers from 1973-75 and was a member of our coaching staff from 1993-96. He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”

Bryant had a massive stroke recently, La Salle coach Fran Dunphy told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

While most basketball fans recognize Bryant as the father to Kobe, he also enjoyed a successful NBA career of his own, playing eight seasons in the league. Bryant was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the 15th overall pick in the 1975 NBA Draft, but was moved to the Philadelphia 76ers before his rookie season began. He also played for the then-San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets over the course of his NBA career, averaging 8.7 points per game during his eight seasons.

After having the best three-year stretch of his career from 1980-83, Bryant opted to continue his basketball career overseas. He played in Italy for nine seasons and played for a French team in his final season as a pro.

Bryant and his family moved back to the Philadelphia area after his professional career ended, allowing the younger Bryant to blossom as one of the top high school players in the country at Lower Merion High School in the 1990s. Bryant’s relationship with his son became complicated at points during Kobe Bryant’s career with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The elder Bryant’s passing falls 4 ½ years after his son died in a tragic helicopter crash that killed eight others, including his granddaughter, Gianna.

Joe Bryant coached basketball at a variety of different levels and leagues for over 20 years. His most notable coaching stop came with the WNBA‘s Los Angeles Sparks, serving as their head coach from 2005-07 and again as an interim in 2011.

Bryant and his wife, Pam, also shared two daughters, Sharia and Shaya.

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