Another Terrible Loss For The Bryant Family, Sending Prayers

Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, former NBA player and father of Kobe Bryant, passed away at sixty-nine. La Salle University, where he played and coached, called him a “beloved member.” Bryant had recently suffered a severe stroke.

Vanessa Bryant expressed condolences on Instagram, noting, “Kobe loved him very much.” Joe Bryant played professionally in the U.S. and abroad, and the 76ers remembered him as a local basketball icon.

He averaged 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 606 NBA games and later coached in various countries. Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem mourned him as a true Philly legend and devoted family man.