Like many families, the family of Kobe Bryant has had their share of difficulties in recent years. This includes a huge loss that recently occurred.
The father of the late basketball Hall of Famer, Kobe Bryant has passed away at the age of 69. La Salle University’s athletics department has confirmed the death of Joe “Jellybean” Bryant.
The death of the father comes only a few years after the death of Kobe himself. He died in a helicopter crash in 2020, and his family still reeling from the loss.
According to La Salle men’s head basketball coach Fran Dunphy, Joe may have suffered a stroke recently. That may or may not be the cause of death as we don’t have all of the details.
Joe played ball at La Salle University and he was also a coach there as well. A statement said that he was ‘a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.’
Joe was well-known for his skills on the basketball court. He was the 14th overall pick in 1975 and was drafted by the Golden State Warriors. Eventually, he would come to play for the Philadelphia 76ers and would stay with them for four seasons. Eventually, he went to the San Diego Clippers for three seasons and then the Houston Rockets for another.
The 76ers gave a shout out to Joe, calling him “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.”
It’s hard to believe that it has only been four years since Kobe and his granddaughter were killed in a helicopter crash along with seven others. His widow, Vanessa Bryant wrote a story on Instagram recently.
She wrote: “Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing.
“We hoped things would’ve been different. Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around. Kobe loved him very much.”
The vice president of the Pistons, Arn Tellem, who was also Kobe Bryant’s agent let us know that he was sad over the loss of Joe. He wrote: “Our friendship opened the door for me to represent Kobe as he entered the NBA, a memory I’ll always cherish. Joe was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, whose warmth touched everyone he met.”
