Former NBA player and Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, died at the age of sixty-nine.
No formal cause of death has been announced as of Tuesday morning. Bryant “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed,” according to a statement issued by La Salle University, where he played and later served as coach.
The Philadelphia Inquirer was informed by Fran Dunphy, the head coach of La Salle and a veteran basketball coach in the Philadelphia region, that Bryant had just experienced a major stroke.
Joe Bryant had hardly appeared in public since Kobe Bryant’s untimely death in a helicopter crash more than four years ago. In an ESPN interview in 2010, Kobe lauded his father’s basketball skills, stating that Joe had taught him “from an early age how to view the game, how to prepare for the game, and how to execute.”
Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other people perished in a helicopter crash in January 2020 while they were their route to a basketball game in Calabasas, California. Despite having a sometimes tense relationship with Kobe, Joe and Pam Bryant, who have been married for over 50 years, went to the memorial service in Los Angeles a month after the accident.
“Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing,” said Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow, on Instagram. We wished that things had turned out differently. He was always kind and pleasant to be around, even if we didn’t spend much time together. Kobe had a deep affection for him.
During two seasons at La Salle University, Joe Bryant averaged 20.8 points per game, making him a great player. He later played professionally both domestically and overseas. He was eventually purchased by the Philadelphia 76ers after being selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft.
“Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant was a local basketball icon, whose legacy on the court transcended his journey across Bartram High School, La Salle University, and his first four NBA seasons with the 76ers from 1975-79,” the 76ers said in a statement recognizing his influence. We send the Bryant family our deepest sympathies.
“Joe was our JV coach at Lower Merion and I could not have asked for a more positive mentor, teacher, and role model,” said Doug Young, a former teammate of Kobe, who recalled Joe as an excellent “role model.” He encouraged us all to improve and made basketball enjoyable; he had faith in us. I will always remember his contagious smile, his bear hugs, and the amazing friendship he had with Kobe. The Bryants were the family we admired and loved the most while we were growing up in Lower Merion, and it all began with Joe.
Joe Bryant, who was 6′ 9″, averaged 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 606 NBA games during his eight seasons with the Sixers, Clippers, and Rockets. He played for the Sixers, who were defeated by the Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals in 1976–77.
Bryant started his coaching career in 1992 after playing overseas for more than a decade in France and Italy. He has coached at the professional and collegiate levels in the US, Japan, and Thailand. He also spent a portion of three seasons as the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.
The Pistons’ vice chairman and former Kobe Bryant agent, Arn Tellem, voiced his sadness, saying, “Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant was a true Philly hoops legend.” Because of our friendship, I was able to represent Kobe when he joined the NBA, which is an experience I will always treasure. Joe was a loving grandfather, father, and husband who warmed everyone he came into contact with.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and the Associated Press both contributed to this article.
