Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and former NBA player, has died at 69. La Salle University, where he once starred and later coached, said he “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.” Head coach Fran Dunphy revealed Bryant had recently suffered a severe stroke.

Bryant had kept a low profile since Kobe’s tragic death in 2020. Kobe had often credited his father, saying Joe taught him “from an early age how to view the game, how to prepare for the game and how to execute.”

At La Salle, Bryant averaged 20.8 points per game before being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1975. He later played for the Philadelphia 76ers and other NBA teams, earning recognition as “a local basketball icon.”

Former teammate Doug Young remembered him as a true “role model,” adding, “He made basketball fun and made us all want to be better.”

After his playing career, Bryant transitioned into coaching, including a stint with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. Kobe’s former agent Arn Tellem described him as “a true Philly hoops legend… whose warmth touched everyone he met.”