NBA
Kobe Bryant’s dad Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant dies at 69: What was the cause of death?
Four years after the tragic death of his son and granddaughter in a helicopter crash, the former Sixers forward has passed away.
Former Philadelphia 76ers forward Joe Bryant, the father of the late Kobe Bryant, has died at the age of 69 having recently suffered a massive stroke, it was revealed on Tuesday.
Bryant Sr played in the NBA for eight seasons between 1975 and 1983, turning out for the Sixers, the San Diego Clippers and the Houston Rockets.
He also featured for several teams in Italy, as well as Mulhouse in France.
Why was Joe Bryant nicknamed “Jellybean”?
Nicknamed “Jellybean” because of his love of the candy, Bryant was a stand-out college player at La Salle, which resulted in him being selected in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, who traded him to the 76ers a few months later.
Bryant’s most successful NBA season came in 1976/77, when Philadelphia reached the NBA Finals but were beaten by the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Jellybean” maintained closed links with La Salle, becoming their assistant coach in 1993 before resigning in 1996 after son Kobe announced he would be entering the NBA straight out of high school. La Salle confirmed the news of Bryant’s death, with their current head coach Fran Dunphy revealing his recent health issues.
Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash
Bryant Jr, an NBA Hall of Famer, was one of nine people tragically killed in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California in January 2020. Kobe’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna, the granddaughter of Joe, was among those who perished.