Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe Bryant, passed away at the age of 69.
It is reported that the former basketball player and coach recently suffered from a “massive stroke.”
Joe Bryant passed away 4.5 years following the untimely demise of his 41-year-old son Kobe and 13-year-old granddaughter Gigi.
Bryant played for elite NBA teams including the 76ers, Clippers, and Rockets after retiring.
The NBA selected the enormous player, who was 6 feet 9 inches tall, in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft.
He played professionally in Europe in addition to the NBA, where he was most successful.
He oversaw teams in the US, Japan, and Thailand during his coaching tenure, including the WNBA’s LA Sparks.
Bryant was known as “Jellybean” by others because of his extreme sweet tooth.
Well wishes for the adored figure have already begun to flow.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant,” the basketball squad that Bryant played for while attending La Salle University wrote on X.
From 1993 till 1996, Joe and I collaborated as coaches. He was an Explorers player from 1973 to 1975.
“He will be sadly missed; he was a beloved member of the Explorer family.”
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Joe Bryant and his son Kobe enjoyed a tight bond when Kobe was younger, but after Kobe signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, their relationship soured.
Regarding Kobe’s passing in 2020, Bryant Sr. remained silent.
Kobe and his daughter Gianna, along with seven other passengers, perished in January 2020 when their helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California.