Joe Bryant, popularly known as “Jellybean,” the late Kobe Bryant’s father and a basketball Hall of Famer, died on Tuesday, according to his former institution, La Salle.
Bryant, who spent eight seasons with three different NBA clubs, was 69 years old. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Joe Bryant just suffered a major stroke, citing La Salle coach Fran Dunphy.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant,” the school stated in a news release. “Joe played for the Explorers from 1973-75 and was a member of our coaching staff from 1993-96. He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”
Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other people were tragically killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, while on their way to a basketball competition.
Following his NBA career, he continued to play basketball internationally, including in France and Italy. Kobe Bryant’s stay in Italy led him to acquire a profound passion for basketball and become proficient in Italian.
When Kobe was 13, his family moved back to Philadelphia, where he became a high school basketball standout before being drafted into the NBA four years later.
Joe Bryant has worked as a coach in a variety of nations, including Italy, Japan and Thailand. He also coached the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA for several years, during which time his son was also playing in the city.
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