Magic Johnson Posts Heartfelt Message After Death Of Kobe Bryant's Father

Count Magic Johnson among countless members of the basketball family mourning the passing of Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, father of five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend memorialized the elder Bryant in a heartfelt post on Twitter, remembering his friend as a "great" father, husband and coach.

Bryant died on Tuesday of unknown causes at the age of 69. Fran Dunphy, the current head coach at LaSalle, Bryant's alma mater, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he recently suffered a massive stroke .

"I'm devastated to hear about the loss of my friend Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, the father of Kobe Bryant," Johnson posted. "Joe was not only a talented basketball player; he was also a great coach. A lot of people don't know that he coached the LA Sparks in 2005, 2006, and 2011! Joe was an exceptional human being with a radiant smile that had the power to brighten any room, and a great husband and father. Cookie and I are praying for his wife Pam, daughters Sharia and Shaya, and the rest of the Bryant family, friends, and all those who loved Joe."

An eight-year NBA veteran, Bryant played for his hometown Philadelphia 76ers, the then-San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets before taking his career overseas to Italy, where Kobe Bryant spent his childhood. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 8.7 points and four rebounds per game across 606 total appearances in the NBA.

Bryant got into coaching once his playing days were finished, most notably serving as head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2005, 2006 and 2011. He finished his WNBA coaching career with a 40-24 record, helping guide Lisa Leslie and company to the 2006 Western Conference Finals.

Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gigi, tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020.

Related: Jaylen Brown Reveals Message To Derrick White After Team USA Snub