Former NBA participant and WNBA head coach Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of the late Kobe Bryant, has died at 69, a number of shops confirmed Tuesday.
Bryant not too long ago suffered an enormous stroke, in accordance with The Philadelphia Inquirer.
A Philadelphia native who starred there collegiately at La Salle, Bryant was a first-round decide (14th total) by the Golden State Warriors in 1975 and was then bought to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 6-foot-9 ahead averaged 8.7 factors, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 606 video games over eight NBA seasons with the Sixers (1975-79), San Diego Clippers (1979-82) and Houston Rockets (1982-83).
“Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant was 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,” the Sixers mentioned in a press release. “Our condolences go out to the Bryant family.”
Bryant later performed professionally in Italy (1983-91) and France (1991) earlier than transitioning to teaching. He was the pinnacle coach of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks from 2005-06 and once more in 2011, compiling a file of 40-24 with two playoff appearances. He additionally coached groups in Japan and Thailand till 2015.
His son, Kobe Bryant, grew to become a Hall of Fame participant with the Los Angeles Lakers who died tragically in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020 on the age of 41. Joe Bryant’s granddaughter, Gianna, 13, additionally died within the accident.
Source: www.anews.com.tr