Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, father of Kobe Bryant, has died at 69

Joe Bryant, the father of the late NBA great Kobe Bryant and a former pro basketball player himself, has died, according to La Salle University’s athletics department. He was 69.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing La Salle men’s head basketball coach Fran Dunphy, Bryant recently suffered a stroke. La Salle told CNN that Bryant died Monday morning but could not confirm the cause of death.

Bryant, who had the nickname “Jellybean,” was from Philadelphia and played for La Salle from 1973-1975.

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors as the 14th overall pick in the 1975 NBA draft, he was with the Philadelphia 76ers for four seasons, the then-San Diego Clippers for three seasons, and the Houston Rockets for one season.

He also played professional basketball in Europe, notably in Italy. He was a member of La Salle’s coaching staff from 1993-1996.

“He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed,” a post on the La Salle men’s basketball X account said.

Joe Bryant poses for a portrait in Philadelphia during his playing days.

A post from the 76ers called Bryant “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 from 1975-79.”

“Our condolences go out to the Bryant family,” the 76ers added.

Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant were among the nine people killed in a helicopter crash in California in January 2020. He was 41.

Correction: An earlier version of this story gave the wrong day for Joe Bryant’s death. He died Monday morning.