Joe 'Jellybean' Bryant, Kobe Bryant's father, dies at 69
Former NBA player Joe Bryant, the father of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, has died at the age of 69.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Bryant had recently suffered a massive stroke.
Nicknamed "Jellybean," Bryant was a 1975 first-round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors, after spending his collegiate career at LaSalle in Philadelphia.
The 76ers then shipped his rights to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he spent four seasons with the team before finishing his NBA career with the San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets, averaging 8.7 points and four rebounds a game. He then played overseas in Italy and France and coached teams in Thailand and Japan.
We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant.
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. pic.twitter.com/A3sgZzVkkt— La Salle Men’s Basketball (@LaSalle_MBB) July 16, 2024
Bryant was also an assistant and later head coach for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks for two different stints in 2005-2007 and 2011.
His death comes four years after his son, Kobe, and granddaughter, Gianna, were killed with seven others in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.
"Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father in law's passing, We hoped things would've been different," Vanessa Bryant wrote in a statement. "Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around.
"Kobe loved him very much. Our prayers go out to family."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe 'Jellybean' Bryant, Kobe Bryant's father, dies at age 69
