Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of the late Kobe Bryant, has died at 69, La Salle University announced. Coach Fran Dunphy told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Joe recently suffered a stroke, though the official cause of death is unconfirmed. La Salle remembered him as “a beloved member of the Explorer family.”

A talented player like his son, Joe was drafted 14th overall by the Warriors in 1975 and played for the 76ers, Clippers, and Rockets before continuing his career in Europe. The 76ers honored him as “a local basketball icon” whose legacy spanned high school, college, and the NBA.

His passing comes four years after Kobe and his daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash. Vanessa Bryant expressed condolences, saying, “Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet… Kobe loved him very much.”

Doug Young, Kobe’s former teammate, praised Joe as the ideal “role model,” recalling his influence as a coach. “He made basketball fun… He believed in us.”

Arn Tellem, Kobe’s former agent, mourned Joe as “a devoted husband, father, and grandfather” whose kindness touched many.