Joe 'Jellybean' Bryant, father of Kobe and former NBA player, dead at 69

Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, died on Tuesday, according to his alma mater La Salle University. No cause of death was released, but the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that he had recently suffered a major stroke. He was 69 years old.

“Joe played for the Explorers from 1973-75 and was a member of our coaching staff from 1993-96,” La Salle said. “He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”

Bryant’s nephew John Cox IV, an assistant coach for the Explorers’ men’s basketball team, said in a statement that he was “heartbroken” upon hearing news of his uncle’s passing.

“He was a basketball icon in the city of Philadelphia and someone I grew up admiring,” he said. “The impact he has made both here at La Salle and in the Philly basketball community will be felt for years to come."

Born in Philadelphia in 1954, Bryant starred at La Salle before playing eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), including his first four with the Philadelphia 76ers from 1975 to 1979. During this time, his son Kobe was born and Joe reached the 1977 NBA Finals alongside Hall of Famers Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Doug Collins, and George McGinnis.

Bryant went on to play for the San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets before starring overseas in Italy and France for Reggio Emilia and FC Mulhouse Basket, respectively. He retired from his playing career in 1992.

Upon returning to the States, Bryant coached at Akiba Hebrew Academy in his native Pennsylvania, during which time his son Kobe became a star at Lower Merion High School. Joe later served for three years as an assistant coach for the men's team at La Salle before resigning upon his son's decision to go pro out of high school.

At the height of Kobe’s stardom, Joe reentered the spotlight at the center of a feud with his son, who had then become one of the top players in the world. They made headlines when Kobe married his wife Vanessa in 2001, which caused a rift between the future Hall of Famer and his parents, who skipped the wedding and did not have contact with him for years.

Joe returned to coaching in 2003, later rising to become head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association in 2005. He remained with the team for two seasons, returning for a third in 2011. He also coached internationally in Japan, Italy, and Thailand between 2007 and 2015.

Though less than a household name during his own playing career, Bryant’s notoriety as a local star in Philadelphia was boosted during his son Kobe's illustrious 20-year NBA career—during which he gave his father much of the credit for teaching him the game and instilling a sense of resiliency.

The 76ers were among the local entities celebrating Bryant’s legacy following news of his death.

“[He] was a local basketball icon, whose legacy on the court transcended his journey across Bartram High School, La Salle University, and his first four NBA seasons with the 76ers,” the team said in a statement.

“Our condolences go out to the Bryant family.”

Bryant is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Pamela, and his daughters Sharia and Shaya. He was predeceased by his son, who tragically died in a Los Angeles-area helicopter crash with his daughter Gianna and seven others in 2020. 

Though a second family rift had occurred due to Joe and Pamela’s unauthorized auctioning of Kobe memorabilia in 2013, the family reconciled before the latter’s death. Joe and Pamela are believed to have been present at Kobe's funeral Mass in California, having raised him as a Catholic during his early years stateside and in Europe.

Funeral arrangements for Joe have not been announced.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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