Joe Bryant, father of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, has died. No official cause was announced, though La Salle coach Fran Dunphy said he had suffered a major stroke. La Salle University called him “a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”
Though Joe kept a low profile after Kobe’s tragic 2020 helicopter crash, his influence on his son was lasting. In 2010, Kobe told ESPN that his father had “a great basketball mind” and taught him “from an early age how to view the game, how to prepare for the game and how to execute.” After the crash that killed Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and seven others, Joe and his wife Pam attended the Los Angeles memorial service, despite past family tensions. Vanessa Bryant later shared, “Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing.” She added, “We wished things were different. Despite our little interactions, he was always kind. Kobe deeply loved him.”
Known as “Jellybean,” Bryant was a standout at La Salle, averaging 20.8 points per game. Drafted in 1975, he played eight NBA seasons with the 76ers, Clippers, and Rockets, averaging 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds. The 76ers honored him as “a local basketball icon” whose legacy spanned high school, college, and his early NBA years.
Former player Doug Young remembered him as the perfect “role model,” saying, “I could not have asked for a more positive mentor, teacher, and role model.” He added, “He made basketball entertaining and inspired us to improve; he believed in us.”
After playing overseas for over a decade, Bryant turned to coaching in 1992, working in the U.S. and internationally, including with the Los Angeles Sparks. He is remembered as a dedicated coach, mentor, and family man whose impact reached far beyond the court.
