BREAKING: Ex-NBA Star Joe Bryant, Father of Kobe Bryant, Dies at 69

Legendary Basketball Figure Passes Away, Leaving Behind Legacy of Success

From College Standout to NBA Veteran and Father of an Icon

The basketball world is mourning the loss of legendary figure Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, the father of the late NBA great Kobe Bryant. According to La Salle University's athletics department, Joe Bryant passed away on Tuesday at the age of 69.

As a college basketball standout, Joe Bryant played for La Salle University, where he led the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances and earned All-American honors. He was then drafted into the NBA, where he spent eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and San Diego Clippers.

Beyond his own successful career, Joe Bryant is best known as the father of the late Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Kobe Bryant, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in 2020, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.