Vanessa Bryant is honoring her father-in-law following the news of his sudden loss.
Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, dad to Vanessa’s late husband Kobe Bryant, passed away on July 15 at age 69. An official cause of death has yet to be made public, but the Philadelphia Inquirer, who was first to break the news, reported that Joe suffered a massive stroke.
Joe played in the NBA for the Sixers, Clippers and Rockets over eight seasons before taking his basketball career to Europe. He later coached for both collegiate and professional teams including the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
“Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father in law’s passing. We hoped things would’ve been different. Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around. Kobe loved him very much. Our prayers go out to family,” Vanessa wrote on her Instagram story.
Kobe and his dad reportedly grew apart throughout the younger Bryant’s professional basketball career, but Joe and his wife, Pam, were both present at Kobe’s memorial service in Los Angeles.
The NBA legend sadly died at 41 in a helicopter crash alongside his and Vanessa’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others in January 2020.
Kobe Bryant & Gianna Bryant Memorialized With Statue At Crash Site On 2-Year Anniversary Of Tragic Deaths
View GalleryVanessa also gave Kobe’s parents a loving nod at his posthumous Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony the following year, telling the crowd that she wanted to thank them for not only “bringing one of the most amazing human beings into this world” but helping shape his success.
“Pam and Joe, thank you for raising Kobe to be exceptional,” Vanessa said at the time.
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.