The Bryant family has lost yet another beloved member as Joe Bryant, the father of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, passed away this week.
On Tuesday, Kobe’s widow Vanessa and her children offered her condolences to her father-in-law and his family.
Vanessa Bryant lamented that they didn’t spend more time with him and hinted at some of the tension that took place within the Bryant family over the years
“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,” she said in an Instagram Story, via BallIsLife.com on X.
Vanessa Bryant on IG https://t.co/p0eukrqGLN pic.twitter.com/RxooasTbUV
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 16, 2024
Joe “Jellybean” Bryant was a first-round pick in the 1975 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He played in the NBA for a little under a decade and played until the early-1990s overseas. Kobe was born while his father was playing for the 76ers, and would live in Europe with his father during his playing career.
Joe Bryant went into coaching after retiring, working in both the WNBA and in countries all over the world until 2015.
Kobe, his daughter Gianna and seven others passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in 2020.