Joe Bryant, Former NBA Player, Father of Lakers Icon Kobe, Dies at Age 69

Former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of late Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, has died at age 69.

La Salle coach Fran Dunphy said Bryant recently suffered a massive stroke.

Joe Bryant played for La Salle from 1973 to 1975 before embarking on an eight-year NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets. After his final NBA season in 1983, Bryant played another nine seasons in Europe, most of which came in Italy.

Bryant finished his NBA career with averages of 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Upon his retirement from playing, Bryant stayed in basketball as a coach, including two different stints as the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks. He also had an extended coaching career in Japanese professional basketball.

Despite his own impressive accomplishments in the sport, Bryant is best known as the father of Kobe Bryant. The Lakers great entered the 1996 NBA draft out of high school and played his entire 20-year career in Los Angeles. He won five NBA championships, one regular-season MVP and is considered one of the fiercest competitors in all of professional sports history.

Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among nine people who died in a January 2020 helicopter crash. Kobe Bryant was 41.

Joe Bryant is survived by his wife, Pam, and their two daughters, Sharia and Shaya, along with the couple’s grandchildren.