Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of Kobe Bryant and former NBA player,

passed away at sixty-nine. No official cause of death has been

disclosed, but he recently suffered a severe stroke, as mentioned

by La Salle University and coach Fran Dunphy.Joe Bryant had been

largely out of the public eye since Kobe’s tragic death in a helicopter crash four years ago.

In a 2010 interview, Kobe praised his father’s basketball knowledge,

saying Joe taught him “how to view the game, how to prepare for the game and how to execute.”

Joe Bryant was a standout at La Salle University and played professionally

in the NBA and abroad. The 76ers honored him as a “local basketball icon.”

Doug Young, a former teammate of Kobe, remembered Joe as an exceptional role model.Joe averaged 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds over 606 NBA games.

After his playing career, he coached in the U.S., Japan, and Thailand,

including a stint with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. Arn Tellem,

Kobe’s former agent, called Joe a “true Philly hoops legend.” in the lower part we have the photos see it