Joe Bryant Dies at 69: A Look at His Life and Legacy

Bryant, who attended Bartram High School and La Salle, succumbed to a massive stroke. He was 69.

Joe Bryant, the father of Kobe Bryant and a basketball star in his own right at Bartram High School, at La Salle, and over eight seasons in the NBA, died Monday. He was 69.

Bryant recently suffered a massive stroke, La Salle head coach Fran Dunphy said Tuesday. Four and a half years have passed since his son and his granddaughter Gianni, along with seven other people, died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.

Joe Bryant’s Early Life and Career

John Cox, Bryant’s nephew and an assistant men’s basketball coach at La Salle, said in a statement that he was “heartbroken by the sudden loss of my uncle. He was a basketball icon in the city of Philadelphia and someone I grew up admiring. The impact he has made both here at La Salle and in the Philly basketball community will be felt for years to come.”

High School and College Achievements

Bryant, who is a 6-9 forward, was given the nickname “Jellybean” because of his love for candy. He had skills that could match those of Magic Johnson or LeBron James, and in 1972, he was the Public League Player of the Year before averaging over twenty points and eleven rebounds for La Salle across two seasons.

Professional Basketball Career

He became a first-round pick by Golden State Warriors in 1975 and four months later, they sold his rights to the 76ers. Bryant spent four seasons with this group, coming off the bench during their run to the NBA Finals at the age of 21.

After leaving the Houston Rockets at the end of the 1982-83 season where he played alongside Moses Malone, Bryant played in Europe with great individual success, especially in Italy, before coming back home to Philadelphia and settling down in Wynnewood.

Impact on Philadelphia Basketball

Joe Bryant had very close ties with his son Kobe from when he was just a small boy until Lower Merion High School. However, as Kobe started his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, their relationship became strained. Joe Bryant has not made any public statements regarding his son’s demise.

For more information, read more about Joe Bryant’s career on ESPN and explore Kobe Bryant’s legacy.