Kobe Bryant’s Dad Joe Dies From Stroke 4 Years After Son’s Plane Crash

Kobe Bryant's Dad Joe Dies From Stroke 4 Years After Son's Plane Crash

As a devoted fan of Kobe Bryant and his legendary basketball career, I cannot help but be saddened by yet another tragic loss for the Bryant family. The recent passing of Kobe’s father, Joe Bryant, at the age of 69 after suffering a stroke, is a heartbreaking reminder of the fragility of life and the inexorable passage of time.


The Bryant family is suffering another tremendous loss. 

I was deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Joe Bryant, the father of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, at the age of 69 following a stroke. As someone who has followed Kobe’s illustrious career, it is disheartening to know that his father, who played an instrumental role in shaping him into the athlete he became, is no longer with us.

The father of the NBA legend from the Los Angeles Lakers had a successful career as a forward in the NBA, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers (now the Los Angeles Clippers), and Houston Rockets. After retiring as a player, he moved into coaching, leading teams abroad and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks from 2005 to 2007.

I, being a tall guy at 6 foot 9 inches and fondly known as “Jelly Bean” due to my love for sweets, was selected in the first round by the Golden State Warriors in 1975. However, just four months later, my NBA rights were sold swiftly to the 76ers. After spending eight seasons in the NBA, I chose to continue my basketball career overseas and played primarily in Italy. Eventually, I decided to settle down with my family in Philadelphia.

Along with Kobe, Joe had two older daughters named Sharia and Shaya. These girls were born to him and his wife Pamela Bryant.

Following Kobe’s rise to prominence, his connection with Joe and his mother Pamela grew tense before his passing in 2020 – primarily because Pamela and Joe sold Kobe’s personal items without his approval, according to the Los Angeles Times‘s reporting in 2012.

neither Joe nor Pamela were present at Kobe Bryant’s 2001 wedding to Vanessa Bryant; additionally, Joe has never issued a public comment regarding the 2020 helicopter accident that claimed the lives of Kobe, who was 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, along with seven others.

Kobe Bryant's Dad Joe Dies From Stroke 4 Years After Son's Plane Crash

Despite having daughters Natalia (21), Bianka (7), and Capri (5) with Vanessa, Kobe – who once experienced a subpar performance in a basketball tournament earlier in his career – still recounted the wise counsel his father imparted to him during that time.

“On The School of Greatness podcast in 2018, Kobe shared how his father’s embrace and words, ‘Regardless if you don’t score at all or if you make sixty points, I will always love you,’ held great significance for him. This message was pivotal as it granted him the reassurance to face failures with confidence.”

As he put it, his father’s words were encouraging throughout his career. 

“I’ve just returned from another day at my job, but I didn’t let that stop me. I stuck with it and dedicated every spare moment to honing my skills. I practiced relentlessly, pouring all of my energy into perfecting my craft.”

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2024-07-16 18:52