Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant and a former NBA player, has passed away at the age of sixty-nine.As of Tuesday morning, no official cause of death has been disclosed. La Salle University, where Bryant played and later coached, released a statement expressing that he “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”
Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, expressed her condolences on Instagram, saying, “Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing. 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.”Joe Bryant was a standout player at La Salle University, averaging 20.8 points per game over two seasons. He went on to play professionally in the United States and abroad. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft, he was ultimately acquired by the Philadelphia 76ers.