Kobe Bryant's Father Joe "Jellybean" Bryant Dies at 69

Former NBA Player, WNBA Coach, and Father of NBA Legend Kobe Bryant

La Salle University Mourns the Loss of One of Its Own

Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, the father of late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, has passed away at the age of 69. The former NBA player and WNBA coach passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 26, 2023, at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. The La Salle University community is mourning the loss of one of its own, as Joe Bryant played for the university's basketball team in the early 1970s.

Joe Bryant was born Joseph Washington Bryant on October 19, 1953, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended John Bartram High School, where he was a standout basketball player. After graduating from high school, Bryant played college basketball at La Salle University from 1971 to 1975. He was a key player on the Explorers' 1973-74 team that won the NIT Championship.

Bryant was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1975 NBA Draft. He played three seasons in the NBA, averaging 5.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. After his NBA career, Bryant played professionally in Italy and France. He also coached in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks and the Chicago Sky.

Bryant is best known as the father of Kobe Bryant, who is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January 2020, along with his daughter Gianna and seven other people. Joe Bryant is survived by his wife Pam and his daughter Sharia.