In a statement on her Instagram, the widowed wife of a Lakers legend, Vanessa Bryant gave her official reaction to the passing of Kobe's father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant.
"Sending out condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law's passing," wrote Vanessa on her story . "We hoped things would've been different. Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around. Kobe loves him very much. Our prayers go out to the family."
The cause of death was revealed to be a stroke. The former basketball savant, a native of Philadelphia, was 69 years old.
Around the community, various individuals raised support for Joe's memory and his family, including Lakers legend Magic Johnson who came out with a statement mourning the passing of Joe and praising his skills as a player, coach, and leader.
“I’m devastated to hear about the loss of my friend Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, the father of Kobe Bryant,” wrote Johnson on X . “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.”
At 6'9", Joe enjoyed a prosperous NBA career with stints on the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets. He eventually moved overseas and helped raise Kobe to follow in his footsteps.
Kobe, of course, went on to become an NBA legend with 5 championships, 18 All-Star appearances, and a place as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. He was a Laker for the entirety of his career and achieved the heights of fame and success with hard work, sacrifice, and an unrelenting drive to win.
Bryant retired as a legend in 2016, but his relationship with his dad was sadly never repaired. Joe was absent from the wedding when Kobe married Vanessa and they didn't speak until Kobe had his first child. In 2013, Kobe resorted to legal action against his parents after they tried to sell some of his championship memorabilia , which he ended up winning.
While both of his parents were there for his funeral, Kobe likely went to his grave on bad terms with them and it's a shame that they couldn't reconcile sooner. While Joe has finally been "reunited" with his son, there are still some bitter feelings about what went down over the past couple of years.
From Vanessa's statement, it's easy to tell that Kobe did not spend a lot of time with his parents, and it would be a stretch to say they had a close relationship. But it's still another tragedy for the NBA, and people like Magic and Vanessa are hoping to use it to bring people together instead of tearing them apart.
Related: WNBA Legend Candace Parker Reveals She Is Training Kobe Bryant’s Daughter Bianka
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