Joe Bryant, Former NBA Player and Father of Kobe, Dies at 69 from Stroke

Jul 16, 2024, 03:12 PM

Joe Bryant, former NBA player and father of the late Kobe Bryant, has died at the age of 69. Known as 'Jellybean,' Joe Bryant had a notable basketball career, playing 606 NBA games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Houston Rockets. He also played eight professional seasons in Italy and was the 14th overall pick in the 1975 NBA Draft out of La Salle University. Bryant, who also played at Bartram High School, passed away from a stroke. He had a lengthy coaching career spanning decades in the United States, Japan, and Thailand. His passing comes four years after the tragic death of his son, Kobe Bryant, in a helicopter crash.