Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, Father of Kobe Bryant, Dies at 69
Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, former NBA player and father of late basketball legend Kobe Bryant, has passed away at the age of 69, La Salle University announced.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Joe had recently suffered a stroke, though an official cause of death has not been confirmed.
Bryant was a standout at La Salle University, where he later returned as a coach. He was selected 14th overall in the 1975 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and went on to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets, before continuing his career in Europe.
The 76ers honored Joe as “a local basketball icon,” highlighting his impact from Bartram High School to the NBA.
His passing comes four years after the tragic loss of his son Kobe and granddaughter Gianna in a helicopter crash.
