Joe Bryant, the father of basketball superstar Kobe Bryant and an NBA player in his own right, has passed away at 69. The athletic department at La Salle University in Philadelphia, where Bryant played college basketball, confirmed his death. Details on the cause and location were not provided.
Early Life and College Career
Born Joseph Washington Bryant on October 19, 1954, in Philadelphia, he earned the nickname “Jellybean” due to his fondness for candy. Bryant attended Bartram High School before starring at La Salle, where he averaged 19 and 22 points per game in his two seasons.
Drafted 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 1975 NBA draft, Bryant faced challenges in his professional career. He struggled to secure a starting spot and failed to match his college scoring output. Early in his rookie season, police charged him with possession of cocaine after a high-speed chase, but he was acquitted when a judge ruled the search of his car was illegal.
We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant.
Joe played for the Explorers from 1973-75 and was a member of our coaching staff from 1993-96. He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed. pic.twitter.com/A3sgZzVkkt
Advertisement— La Salle Men’s Basketball (@LaSalle_MBB) July 16, 2024
After four seasons as a backup in Philadelphia, Bryant played for the San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets before leaving the NBA after the 1983 season. He found greater success overseas in Italy, where his son Kobe spent part of his childhood. In Europe, Bryant averaged over 30 points per game, a significant improvement from his 8.7 NBA scoring average.
Following his playing career, Bryant pursued coaching, working with several teams in Asia as well as the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. He married Pamela Cox in 1975, and they had three children, including Kobe, who became an NBA legend and Hall of Famer.
The relationship between Joe and Kobe Bryant had its challenges. The two differed in their playing styles, with Joe being a skilled passer but less athletically gifted than the focused and business-minded Kobe. Periods of estrangement occurred over concerns about Kobe’s marriage and ownership of memorabilia.
Tragically, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles in 2020. Joe Bryant’s passing adds another heartbreaking loss for the Bryant family, who have endured immense grief in recent years.
