Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of the legendary Kobe Bryant, died Tuesday, his alma mater announced.
Bryant, who played eight seasons in the NBA with three different franchises, was 69 years old.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing La Salle University coach Fran Murphy, reported that Joe Bryant recently suffered a massive stroke.
Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 in Calabasas, California, as the group was headed to a basketball tournament.
Joe Bryant was the 14th overall pick in the 1975 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors traded Bryant’s rights to Philadelphia before his rookie season. He played four seasons with the 76ers, three with the San Diego Clippers, and one with the Houston Rockets. In 606 games, he averaged 8.7 points.
Bryant later pursued an international career in Finland and Italy. It was in Italy that Kobe developed a taste for the sport.
The Bryant family returned to Philadelphia when Kobe was 13 years old.
Joe Bryant has also held coaching roles in Italy, Japan and Thailand. He also had a stint with the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA.
2024-07-16 17:15:34
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