John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Kobe Bryant‘s dad and basketball great, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, has reportedly passed away at the age of 69.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect a statement from Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s widow.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Bryant “recently suffered a massive stroke.” TMZ adds that Kobe’s father “recently battled a health issue.” However, the outlet did not elaborate on the exact matter.
Daily Mail notes that Joe Bryant, like his son, enjoyed a “lengthy” career in the NBA, playing for teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Houston Rockets.
Furthermore, the outlet adds that Bryant’s death arrives four years after the passing of his son Kobe, granddaughter Gianna, and seven others. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Joe and Kobe were “particularly close throughout Kobe’s childhood.”
However, their relationship grew distanced after Kobe embarked on his NBA career.
The outlet adds that Joe made no public comment following his son and granddaughter’s death, which occurred on January 26, 2020.
Social media users reacted to the reports of Joe Bryant’s passing in The Shade Room’s comment section.
Instagram user @diamondisfabulous wrote, “Wow! Gigi dead at 13, Kobe dead at 41, and his dad dead at 69. You do not know when YOUR # will be called…”
While Instagram user @som3bodysdaddy added, “We’re all in an imaginary line waiting to be called home. No one knows when our name will be called next. Just got to live life to the fullest and try to live it righteously.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, took to her Instagram Story to share a statement on Joe’s passing on behalf of her family.
“Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father in law’s passing,” Vanessa wrote. “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. Our prayers go out to family.”
Read her statement below.
According to IMDb, Bryant appeared on an episode of ‘The Magic Hour’ in 1998. The show, hosted by veteran NBA player Magic Johnson, reportedly aired 12 episodes that year.
During his appearance, Johnson asked Bryant how his father helped him throughout his life and career.
“He was just there as a father figure,” Bryant told Johnson. “There wasn’t much that he could tell me about the game in general, on or off the court because it has changed so much. But he was just there…”
Watch his full comments below.
