Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, a former NBA player and the father of Basketball Hall of Fame guard Kobe Bryant, died at the age of 69, La Salle University confirmed on Tuesday.
Bryant attended the Philadelphia school from 1973 to 1975 and coached the Explorers from 1993 to 1996 following a career that included stints with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, then-San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets, as well as in Europe.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant,” the school said in a statement. “He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”
Bryant, a forward, played in Italy from 1983 to 1991 until retiring with French club Mulhouse in 1991.
Throughout his NBA career, Bryant averaged 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
Joe Bryant led the Women’s NBA Los Angeles Sparks to a 40-24 record over parts of three seasons. He also coached in Asia for clubs in Tokyo, Hokkaido, Bangkok, and Fukuoka.
Kobe Bryant, who was born when his father played for the 76ers, was a five-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player who spent his entire NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, from 1996 to 2016.
Lakers great Bryant, an 18-time NBA All-Star guard, died in a helicopter crash in 2020 at the age of 41.