Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of NBA star Kobe Bryant and former NBA player himself, has passed away at 69. La Salle University, where he played and later coached, shared that Bryant “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.” La Salle’s head coach, Fran Dunphy, noted that Bryant had recently suffered a major stroke.

Since Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing in a helicopter crash in January 2020, Joe had mostly stayed out of the public eye. Kobe had once commended his father’s deep knowledge of basketball, saying Joe taught him early on “how to view the game, how to prepare for the game and how to execute.”

Joe Bryant had been a standout player at La Salle University, averaging 20.8 points per game, and was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1975. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers and other NBA teams, with the 76ers recognizing him as “a local basketball icon.”

Doug Young, who played with Kobe, remembered Joe as a “role model” who made the game enjoyable and encouraged others to improve. Joe Bryant later coached at several levels, including for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.

Arn Tellem, Kobe’s former agent, described him as “a true Philly hoops legend… whose warmth touched everyone he met.”