Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, father of Kobe Bryant, passed away at 69. No official cause of death has been disclosed, but he had recently suffered a severe stroke, as noted by La Salle University and coach Fran Dunphy. Joe had been largely out of the public eye since Kobe’s death in a helicopter crash four years ago. Kobe praised his father’s basketball knowledge, saying Joe taught him “how to view the game, prepare, and execute.” Joe was a standout at La Salle University, played in the NBA, and coached in the U.S., Japan, and Thailand, including with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. Arn Tellem, Kobe’s former agent, called Joe a “true Philly hoops legend
