Philadelphia hoops great Joe Bryant , notably known as the father of the late great Kobe Bryant, passed away on Tuesday due to a massive stroke. He was 69 years old and spent eight years in the NBA, where he played for his hometown, the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets.
Bryant’s basketball career path
Bryant, who went by the nickname “Jellybean” because of his love for candy, averaged 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists throughout his eight years in the NBA. His best years were with the Sixers, specifically in 1997, when he came off the bench for the team that made it to the NBA Finals led by Julius Erving.
However, Joe’s career in the NBA didn’t last for long as he had to go overseas, specifically in Italy and France, where he looked to extend his career. After ending his basketball career in 1992, Bryant then transitioned into coaching which he first did for the women’s basketball team of Lower Merion High School (where Kobe attended high school), La Salle Explorers, Diablos before coaching the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. The player-turned-coach ended his career coaching in Japan and Thailand.
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Joe and Kobe’s relationship
Joe and Kobe reportedly had a decent father-son relationship growing up. After all, his dad was the reason the “Black Mamba” got into basketball in the first place, as Bean learned through watching his dad. But as the younger Bryant went to the NBA, his relationship with his father turned sour for a variety of reasons.
For one, it was reported that Kobe—the third-born child of Joe and his wife Pamella—didn’t get the approval of his parents before marrying his wife Vanessa in 2000. It was reported that Joe and Pam weren’t fans of his son’s relationship because of the difference in their race, which obviously didn’t stop Kobe.
Second, the infamous rift between Kobe and his parents continued when they decided to put his memorabilia up for auction, specifically the NBA legend’s 2000 championship ring among many of his awards. It was also unfortunate that Joe and Pam didn’t release a statement after their son passed away last January 2020.
Ultimately, though, Joe will always be remembered for his contributions to Philadelphia sports and, of course, for molding one of the greatest athletes of all time.
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