Vanessa Bryant is mourning the demise of Kobe’s Dad, Joe Bryant, who handed away on Tuesday afternoon on the age of 69.
LaSalle head coach Fran Dunphy advised The Philadelphia Inquirer Tuesday that he had just lately suffered from an enormous stroke.
Relaxation in Peace, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant 💔 pic.twitter.com/zA1XsnWcqi
— Basketball Eternally (@bballforever_) July 17, 2024
“We’re saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball nice Joe Bryant,” the LaSalle males’s basketball crew stated in a submit on X.
Vanessa paid tribute to her father-in-law on her Instagram story.
“Sending our condolences upon listening to the information of my father-in-law’s passing,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “We hoped issues would’ve been completely different. Though the instances we spent collectively have been few, he was all the time candy and good to be round. Kobe cherished him very a lot. Our prayers exit to household.”
Vanessa’s tribute was little question hinting on the damaged relationship between Kobe and his dad and mom, which turned strained throughout his Corridor of Fame profession with the Lakers.
Kobe and his father have been apparently shut throughout Kobe’s taking part in days at Decrease Merion Excessive Faculty.
Kobe’s father performed for the Explorers from 1973-75 and was on the LaSalle teaching workers from 1993-96.
The eldest Bryant additionally performed within the NBA and was nicknamed “Jellybean”.
He was drafted because the 14th total choose by the Warriors within the 1975 draft.
However he by no means really performed for Golden State, for the reason that franchise bought his draft rights to his hometown Philadelphia.
He performed eight NBA seasons and 606 profession video games for the 76ers, the then-San Diego Clippers and the Rockets.
Bryant’s demise comes 4 and a half years after Kobe and his granddaughter, Gigi tragically died in a helicopter crash.
Within the days following the crash, it was reported that Kobe was attempting to restore his fractured relationship with each of his dad and mom.
READ MORE: Ben Simmons’ Agent Fires Again at Stephen A. Smith For Wild Feedback