Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of the late Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, has passed away at 69, as reported by La Salle University’s athletics department.
According to La Salle men’s head basketball coach Fran Dunphy, The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that Joe had recently suffered a stroke, although the exact cause of death has not been confirmed.
La Salle University, where Joe both played and coached, released a statement saying he “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”
Joe was an accomplished basketball player in his own right, having been drafted as the 14th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 1975 NBA draft. He played four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, three seasons with the San Diego Clippers, and one season with the Houston Rockets, in addition to his time playing in Europe.
The 76ers honored Joe as “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.”
His sudden passing comes four years after the tragic deaths of his son Kobe and granddaughter Gianna, who were killed in a helicopter crash alongside seven others.
Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, shared her condolences on Instagram, saying, “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.”
Doug Young, a former teammate of Kobe, praised Joe as the perfect 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 inspired us all 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, vice chairman of the Pistons and formerly Kobe’s agent, expressed his sorrow over Joe’s passing and joined the basketball community in mourning a true Philadelphia 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.
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Clint Eastwood heartbroken by his family at age ninety-four. Fans are now in disbelief
The iconic actor’s daughter, Kathryn Eastwood, stirs up controversy on social media with an outburst.
At Clint Eastwood’s daughter Morgan Eastwood’s wedding in Carmel, California, over the weekend, a joyful celebration swiftly descended into an emotional maelstrom. Family strife that erupted during the event at Clint’s opulent house was a social media mess.
Another of Clint’s daughters, Kathryn Eastwood, shared a heartwarming video of herself dancing with her father, who is 94 years old. Her caption, “Had to dance with my dad for 50 f**king seconds before we were interrupted,” however, indicated underlying tensions. Kathryn began expressing her feelings publicly on the internet with this post, which was just the start of her online outburst over her family.
“I had to break up with my sister Morgan after her wedding because she’s so concerned with her reputation that she called me ‘insane’ online for the world to hear,” Kathryn said in a particularly emotional post that included Morgan. My capacity to become a mother and have children has been hampered by this, so I need to guard against this monster’s image-driven behavior to spare myself more grief.
Amid a family dispute, Dina Eastwood threatens to file a lawsuit.
When Dina, Kathryn’s stepmother and Clint’s ex-wife, threatened to take legal action if Kathryn didn’t take down the offensive posts, things got out of hand.
“I will give you until tomorrow morning, then I will use the money I stole from your father in your words and file a lawsuit against you,” Dina declared. In a defiant response, Kathryn called Dina a “gold digger” and implied that her fears about inheritance were the source of her actions.
Rather than back off, Kathryn called Morgan “the cruelest most shallow superficial woman I have ever known,” ratcheting up her insults.
What was supposed to be a happy event has been clouded by this well publicized family fight. With his aging and palpably fragile appearance, Clint Eastwood and his normally private family are becoming the focus of intense media scrutiny.
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