Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and former NBA player, has died at 69. La Salle University, where Bryant played and coached, expressed that he “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.” Fran Dunphy, La Salle’s head coach, mentioned Bryant had recently suffered a severe stroke.
Since Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash in January 2020, Joe Bryant had rarely appeared publicly. Kobe once praised his father’s basketball acumen, saying Joe taught him “from an early age how to view the game, how to prepare for the game and how to execute.”
Joe Bryant was a standout at La Salle University, averaging 20.8 points per game. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1975, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers and other NBA teams. The 76ers acknowledged his impact: “Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant was a local basketball icon.”
Doug Young, a former teammate of Kobe, remembered Joe as an exemplary “role model,” noting, “He made basketball fun and made us all want to be better.” Joe Bryant later coached at various levels, including the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
Arn Tellem, Kobe’s former agent, said, “Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant was a true Philly hoops legend… whose warmth touched everyone he met.”
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