Joe Bryant, father to NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who also boasted an eight-year NBA career of his own, has died at age 69. His death comes just four-and-a-half years after his son Kobe and granddaughter Gigi were tragically killed in a January 2020 helicopter crash along with seven others. La Salle head coach Fran Dunphy confirmed to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday that Bryant died from a massive stroke.
The Philadelphia native, nicknamed “Jellybean” for his love of sweets, began his basketball career at John Bartram High School and then at La Salle University before going on to be selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round and 14th overall pick of the 1975 NBA draft. After having his rights sold just four months later, the six-foot-nine forward spent eight seasons in the NBA, playing first with his hometown team the Philadelphia 76ers for four years, then San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets. Bryant went on to make a name for himself in Europe after departing from the Rockets following the 1982-83 season. For a decade, Bryant played for Italian and French teams before returning to the U.S. to pursue a coaching career. Most notably, he served as head coach of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks from 2005 to 2007.
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