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.
Most viewers do not recognize this famous actor
Vincent D’Onofrio portrayed the legendary part of the overweight, unskilled Marine recruit in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket.Nevertheless, his popularity dipped after this role.Because of his curly black hair and athletic build, the 64-year-old actor stated that the job needed a considerable physical alteration, making him undesirable to the girls who had previously approached him.
The breadth and diversity of Vincent D’Onofrio’s experience are outstanding.He always gives every part his all, and you almost forget who he is because of how much he can relate to the character.The Brooklyn-born actor used numerous side jobs to finance his acting career while starting off as a bodyguard for Yul Brynner and Robert Plant.He started out as a bouncer, a cab driver, a flower delivery driver, and a curtain hanger.
After D’Onofrio performed in a few low-budget films, his friend, actor Matthew Modine, persuaded him to send an audition video to Stanley Kubrick, who was then casting for his impending major success.After 26 years of marriage, D’Onofrio filed for divorce from Carin van der Donk in Manhattan Supreme Court at June 2023.In the 2021 motion picture The Unforgivable and the next comedy Dumb Money, D’Onofrio will co-star with Sandra Bullock.
In Full Metal Jacket, Vincent D’Onofrio excelled, and his portrayal of Leonard’s psychological decline is remarkably realistic!After so many decades, it’s only natural that he looks radically different now, yet we still love his performances!How does he portray the overweight, dim-witted Leonard, in your opinion?
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