Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of the late Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, has passed away at 69, as reported by La Salle University’s athletics department.
According to La Salle men’s head basketball coach Fran Dunphy, The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that Joe had recently suffered a stroke, although the exact cause of death has not been confirmed.
La Salle University, where Joe both played and coached, released a statement saying he “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”
Joe was an accomplished basketball player in his own right, having been drafted as the 14th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 1975 NBA draft. He played four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, three seasons with the San Diego Clippers, and one season with the Houston Rockets, in addition to his time playing in Europe.
The 76ers honored Joe as “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.”
His sudden passing comes four years after the tragic deaths of his son Kobe and granddaughter Gianna, who were killed in a helicopter crash alongside seven others.
Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, shared her condolences on Instagram, saying, “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.”
Doug Young, a former teammate of Kobe, praised Joe as the perfect role model. “Joe was our JV coach at Lower Merion, and I could not have asked for a more positive mentor, teacher, and role model,” Young told ESPN. “It’s difficult to overstate how much he influenced me and my teammates. He made basketball fun and inspired us all to be better; he believed in us. I’ll never forget his infectious smile, his bear hugs, and the incredible bond he shared with Kobe. Growing up in Lower Merion, there was no family we loved and admired more than the Bryants, and that started with Joe.”
Arn Tellem, vice chairman of the Pistons and formerly Kobe’s agent, expressed his sorrow over Joe’s passing and joined the basketball community in mourning a true Philadelphia hoops legend. “Our friendship opened the door for me to represent Kobe as he entered the NBA, a memory I’ll always cherish. Joe was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, whose warmth touched everyone he met.”
May he rest in peace.
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
Your Brain Will Tell Your Secret When You See This Image
The brain is absolutely amazing and at times, we may not be using it to the full. That is why it is so important to ensure that you are exercising your mental abilities because it will pay off in the long run.
They often say that a picture is worth a thousand words but sometimes we may look at an image and determine there is more behind it that we may have first thought.
That is the case with this image that is an abstract stain and an unusual pattern. When you look at it, you may see one thing but somebody else may see something else. Letting us know what you see first tells us a lot about whether you are a left brained or right brained individual.
If you see a hot air balloon, you are more of a left brained individual. This means that you think logically and you tend to analyze every portion of what you are seeing. You aren’t afraid to look for detail.
If you see a jellyfish, you may be more of a right brained individual. These are people who are more creative and use their intuition to think outside of the box. You often have an artistic and visual skill that others don’t have.
The left brain versus right brain is nothing new. People in the psychology field have been talking about it for years because they realize that different sections of the brain produce different thoughts and thought patterns.
So what jumped out at you when you first saw the image? Are you a left brain or right brain person and more importantly, does this describe you?
Leave a Reply