Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the legendary basketball player and father of Kobe Bryant, has reportedly passed away at the age of 69.
Note: A statement from Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, has been incorporated into this article.
Additional Details Regarding Joe “Jellybean” Bryant’s Demise
As per The Philadelphia Inquirer, Bryant experienced a “massive stroke” recently. Kobe’s father “recently battled a health issue,” according to TMZ. The source did not go into detail about the specific issue, though.
According to the Daily Mail, Joe Bryant had a “lengthy” NBA career, similar to his son’s, playing for teams like the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Joe Bryant, former NBA player and father of Kobe Bryant, has passed away at the age of 69, per @PhillyInquirer pic.twitter.com/shNzzUg9JO
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 16, 2024
Additionally, the outlet notes that Bryant passed away four years after his son Kobe, granddaughter Gianna, and seven other family members. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Joe and Kobe had a close relationship “during Kobe’s childhood.”
However, after Kobe started his NBA career, their relationship became more distant.
The outlet also notes that Joe remained silent in the wake of the January 26, 2020, deaths of his son and granddaughter.
Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, posted a statement on behalf of her family on her Instagram Story on Tuesday afternoon regarding Joe’s passing.
“Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father in law’s passing,” Vanessa wrote. “We hoped things would’ve been different. Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around. Kobe loved him very much. Our prayers go out to family.”
Here Are Some Previous Comments Kobe Bryant Made About His Father
Bryant made an appearance on a 1998 episode of “The Magic Hour,” according to IMDb. There were supposedly 12 episodes of the program that year, which was hosted by retired NBA player Magic Johnson.
Johnson questioned Bryant about how his father supported him in both his personal and professional life.
“He was just there as a father figure,” Bryant told Johnson. “There wasn’t much that he could tell me about the game in general, on or off the court because it has changed so much. But he was just there…”
You can watch his full comments below!
@mymambamemories Kobe talks about his father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, with Magic Johnson on the The Magic Hour in 1998. #basketball #nba #lakers
