Joe Bryant, the father of late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, has reportedly passed away at the age of 69. La Salle head coach Fran Dunphy confirmed to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday that Joe had recently suffered a massive stroke. His death comes over four years after the tragic passing of his son and granddaughter Gigi, who both died in a helicopter accident in January 2020.
Joe was a basketball star in his own right, prior to his son becoming one of the greatest ever. He made a name for himself as a player for both Bartram High School and La Salle in Philadelphia. The Golden State Warriors ended up drafting him in the first round back in 1975 before selling his rights to the 76ers that same year. He spent four seasons with the team before joining the Houston Rockets for a stretch. Eventually, he found continued success overseas, where he played primarily in Italy.
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While Joe and Kobe were close throughout his childhood and early in his NBA career, their relationship eventually became strained later in life. Joe never made a public comment about his son’s death and faced backlash from fans after listing Kobe’s first championship ring for auction. Speaking with ESPN back in 2016, Kobe described his relationship with his parents as “sh*t.” He explained: “I say [to them], ‘I’m going to buy you a very nice home, and the response is ‘That’s not good enough’? Then you’re selling my sh*t?”
Further details on Joe’s passing have yet to be made available. Be on the lookout for further updates on the Bryant family on HotNewHipHop.
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