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[Saba Sports News] Joe Bryant, father of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, has passed away at 69.
La Salle head coach Fran Dunphy informed Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Bryant had recently suffered a massive stroke.
Joe Bryant, like his son, had a successful basketball career. He was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1975 but soon moved to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he spent four seasons. He also played for the San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets over eight NBA seasons.
After his NBA career, Bryant found success playing in Europe, primarily in Italy, where Kobe spent much of his childhood before the family returned to Philadelphia.
Joe later transitioned to coaching, including a stint with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks from 2005-2007.
Joe and Kobe’s mother, Pam, had a complicated relationship with Kobe over the years. Their issues included Kobe’s marriage to Vanessa at a young age and a public feud in 2013 over memorabilia. However, Kobe reconciled with his parents after the birth of his first daughter, Natalia.
Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
Joe and Pam Bryant also have two daughters, Sharia and Shaya.