Kobe Bryant’s dad Joe dies aged 69, four years after his son’s death

The world of basketball is in mourning after Joe Bryant, the father of Kobe Bryant, tragically died at the age of 69.

Bryant, a 6ft 10in forward, enjoyed a lengthy playing career which included spells with the 76ers, Clippers and Rockets. 

His passing comes four and a half years after his son – then only 41 – and his granddaughter Gianna, 13, were among those killed in a helicopter crash. 

He also worked as a coach for decades, joining teams in the United States, Japan and Thailand.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Joe Bryant – nicknamed ‘Jellybean’ because of his sweet tooth – recently suffered a massive stroke.

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Joe was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1975 NBA draft, only for the team to sell his rights to Philadelphia a few months later.

The forward enjoyed four seasons with his hometown team and helped the 76ers reach the NBA Finals in 1977. 

He later moved to Europe, playing for teams in both Italy and France. Bryant began his coaching career with the girls’ basketball team at Akiba Hebrew Academy, a tiny school near Philadelphia.  

He was soon back on the road, however, enjoying spells with teams in Las Vegas, Boston, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Bangkok.

According to the Inquirer, Joe’s relationship with son Kobe became strained as the Lakers legend built a Hall of Fame career in the NBA. 

He never spoke publicly about his son’s death and earlier this year, the 2000 NBA title ring gifted to ‘Jellybean’ by Kobe sold for $927,000 at auction.

Back in 2016, the Lakers icon revealed he hadn’t spoken to his parents in almost three years after they attempted to auction off his high school memorabilia – without consent.

‘Our relationship is shit,’ he told ESPN. ‘I say (to them): “I’m going to buy you a very nice home, and the response is “That’s not good enough”… then you’re selling my shit?’

Kobe and his daughter Gianna died along with seven others when their helicopter came down in Calabasas, California, in January 2020.

They had flown from John Wayne Airport near his home in Newport Beach and were on their way to Thousand Oaks to Bryant’s Mamba Basketball Academy when they slammed into a hillside.