Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of the late Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, has died at the age of 69, La Salle University’s athletics department reported.
Citing La Salle men’s head basketball coach Fran Dunphy, The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote Joe had recently suffered a stoke. The exact cause of death hasn’t been confirmed yet.
La Salle University, where Joe played and coached, said in a statement that he “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”
Just like his famous son, Joe was a renowned basketball player himself. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors as the 14th overall pick in the 1975 NBA draft, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers for four seasons, the then-San Diego Clippers for three seasons, and the Houston Rockets for one season. He also played in Europe.
The 76ers paid tribute to Joe, calling him “a local basketball icon, whose legacy on the court transcended his journey across Bartram High School, La Salle University, and his first four NBA seasons with the 76ers from 1975-79.”
Joe’s sudden passing comes four years after the tragic death of his son Kobe and his granddaughter Gianna, who were killed in a helicopter crash with seven other people.
Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, wrote on her Instagram story on Tuesday, “Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing.
“We hoped things would’ve been different. Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around. Kobe loved him very much.”
Former Kobe teammate Doug Young praised Joe as the ideal “role model.”
“Joe was our JV coach at Lower Merion and I could not have asked for a more positive mentor, teacher, and role model,” Young told ESPN. “It’s difficult to overstate how much he influenced me and my teammates. He made basketball fun and made us all want to be better; he believed in us. I’ll never forget his infectious smile, his bear hugs and the incredible bond he shared with Kobe. Growing up in Lower Merion, there was no family we loved and admired more than the Bryants, and that started with Joe.”
Arn Tellem, the vice chairman of the Pistons and formerly Kobe Bryant’s agent, expressed his sadness over the loss of Joe and joined the basketball community in mourning a true Philly hoops legend. “Our friendship opened the door for me to represent Kobe as he entered the NBA, a memory I’ll always cherish. Joe was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, whose warmth touched everyone he met.”
May he rest in peace.
Such talents are not born for years and one of those talents is on stage
There is a unique constellation of moments, each a glittering gem in the entertainment tapestry, in the wide universe of talent showcases, where stars are formed and aspirations take flight. Of them, one episode in particular—starring none other than the renowned judge of taste, Simon Cowell—stands out as a shining example of creativity. Imagine, if you will, a stage filled with the prospect of limitless opportunities, where a young genius enters the spotlight, his goals surpassing the sky itself. He is carrying not just the weight of his own goals but also the aspirations of a whole audience that is enthralled with his natural skill with every stride. There is a tangible sense of excitement in the air as he starts his act, a symphony of expectation ready to explode into raucous cheers.
And crescendo it does, as the boy’s voice creates a captivating tune that captivates everyone in the room with its symphony of ethereal tones and soul-stirring resonance. However, it’s not just his faultless performance that enthralls the crowd; it’s the indescribable quality of his soul, a blazing light of sincerity and passion that casts an unearthly glow across the stage. However, fate intervenes with a funny twist—a stumble, say, or a playful detour from the planned choreography—just as the audience is about to experience euphoria, sending shockwaves of laughter vibrating through the hall. Simon Cowell, the king of taste and the arbiter of perfection, sits at the center of this seismic wave of laughter, momentarily overthrown by the overwhelming ecstasy.
It’s as though time has stopped to allow entry into a world where criticism gives way to joy and judgment to jubilation, as laughter erupts from Cowell’s lips in a symphony of humor that echoes with the resonance of revelation. In this brief instance of supreme silliness, we see the ascent of a man freed from the unbridled passion of a kid rather than the downfall of a judge. Because in the vast mosaic of talent contests, it is not perfection that characterizes us but rather our imperfections that unite us in our common humanity. And in the laughter that reverberates through the halls of recollection, we discover not only the essence of amusement but also the ageless resonance of the human spirit, preserved in the records of singularity and unrivaled joy for all eternity.
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