Joe 'Jellybean' Bryant, the father of Kobe Bryant, dies at 69

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, left, talks to his father, Joe, as they watch a baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, June 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of the late Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, has died, his alma mater announced Tuesday.

Bryant, who spent eight seasons in the NBA with three different franchises, was 69. The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing La Salle coach Fran Dunphy, reported that Joe Bryant recently had a massive stroke.

“We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant,” the school said 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 others died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 in Calabasas, California, as the group was making its way to a basketball tournament. Joe and Pam Bryant, who were married for nearly a half-century, had a sometimes frosty relationship with Kobe, but they were in the front row for the memorial service in Los Angeles about a month after Kobe and Gianna died.

“Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father in law’s passing,” Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's widow, posted Tuesday on her Instagram story. “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.”

Joe Bryant was the No. 14 pick by Golden State in the 1975 draft, and the Warriors wound up selling his rights to Philadelphia before the start of his rookie season. He played four years for the 76ers, three for the San Diego Clippers and one for the Houston Rockets, averaging 8.7 points in 606 games.

From there, he embarked on an international career, with stops in France and Italy. The years in Italy shaped Kobe Bryant; it was there that he started to truly develop a love for basketball as well as becoming fluent in Italian. The family moved back to the Philadelphia area around the time that Kobe Bryant was 13, he became a high school star and was drafted four years later.

“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant and join the basketball community in mourning a true Philly hoops legend,” said Detroit Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem, Kobe Bryant’s former agent. “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.”

Joe Bryant had a number of coaching stints, including for teams in Italy, Japan and Thailand, as well as stints with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks — meaning he was coaching in the same city as his son was playing for a number of years.