Joe "Jellybean Bryant", iconic Kobe's father, died age 69

Earlier this year the family of late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant were dealt another blow with the passing of Kobe’s father, former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant.

According to reports, Bryant had suffered a stroke a short time before his passing back in July. The 69-year-old largely withdrew from the spotlight after the shock death of his famous son, Kobe, in a 2020 helicopter crash.

Joe Bryant career

Like his son, “Jellybean” was picked in the first round of the NBA draft. From 1975 onwards he spent eight season in the league, plying his trade for the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and the Houston Rockets.

Following his career in the NBA, Bryant moved to Europe with his family. He played a total of 10 years there – mostly in Italy – before retiring and turning his hand towards coaching.

Bryant’s son, Kobe, would go on to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and reflected more than once that his father had played a huge role in shaping his talent. In 2010, speaking to ESPN, Kobe revealed that his dad taught him: “From an early age how to view the game, how to prepare for the game and how to execute”.

Joe Bryant’s coaching career included positions in Thailand and Japan, as well as a stint with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. His last coaching was in 2015, though he withdrew from the spotlight after the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the life of his son in 2020.

Kobe Bryant crash

Kobe, who rose to become an icon of the NBA over a long and storied career with the Los Angeles Lakers, was traveling to a basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and several others, when their helicopter crashed in low cloud cover, killing all onboard.

A report in the New York Post explained how Kobe and his father were attempting to mend a years-long rift at the time of the former’s passing. Wayne Slappy, one of the NBA legend’s ex-coaches and a good friend of Joe’s, told the Daily Mail that he had witnessed the pair hugging at a recent basketball camp in California.

“I just remember being with him up at his camp in Santa Barbara and seeing him hug his dad. You know how they loved each other from how they looked at each other, how they smiled,” Slappy said.

Kobe had a falling out with his parents, Joe and Pam Bryant, in 2013, accusing the pair of trying to sell his memorabilia, including two high school uniforms and a pair of Lakers championship rings from 2000, without asking him first.

Kobe publicly fell out with his parents, Joe and Pam Bryant, in 2013 when they allegedly tried to peddle some of his memorabilia, including two high school uniforms and a pair of Los Angeles Lakers championship rings from 2000, without his knowledge.

In 2016, Kobe told ESPN: “Our relationship is s–t. I say, ‘I’m going to buy you a very nice home,’ and the response is, ‘That’s not good enough?’ Then you’re selling my s–t?”