Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, Father of Late NBA Superstar Kobe Bryant, Dies at 69

Former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, has died at the age of 69 from a recent massive stroke, his

Pamela Bryant (L) and Joe Bryant, parents of Kobe Bryant, accept The Heritage Award at the Advancement of Blacks in Sports (ABIS) Champions and Legends Awards at Resorts World Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev., on May 28, 2022 Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, has died at the age of 69 from a recent massive stroke, his alma mater La Salle University announced on Tuesday, July 16.

“We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant,” the school said on social media on Tuesday. “Joe played for the Explorers from 1973 to 1975 and was a member of our coaching staff from 1993 to 1996. He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”