Joe “Jellybean” Bryant Father of Kobe Bryant Passes at 69
La Salle University Mourns the Passing of Former Men’s Basketball Star Joe “Jellybean” Bryant
La Salle University is saddened by the loss of men’s basketball legend Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, who passed away on Monday morning at the age of 69. Bryant was a star player for the Explorers from 1973-75, where he left an indelible mark on the program and the Philadelphia basketball community.
During his time at La Salle, Bryant was a two-time First Team All-Big 5 selection in 1974 and 1975. He led the Explorers to a 22-7 record in 1975, including a Sugar Bowl Classic Championship in which he was named tournament MVP. That team climbed as high as No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and earned La Salle’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 1968.
In just two seasons with the Explorers, the 6-foot-9 forward scored 1,188 points and ranks 7th all-time in career rebounding average (11.9), 9th in scoring average (20.7), and 10th in career field goal percentage (48.6). He twice earned National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District honors, making the Third Team in 1974 and the First Team in 1975.
After his successful college career, Bryant was drafted 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 1975 NBA Draft before being acquired by his hometown Philadelphia 76ers later that year.
He went on to play eight seasons in the NBA, spending four with the Sixers from 1975-79, and three with the San Diego Clippers (1979-82). His final season in the league was with the Houston Rockets before he spent nine years playing professionally overseas in France and Italy.
Following his playing career, Bryant spent several years in various coaching roles, including time as an assistant on the Explorers’ staff from 1993-96. He also had two stints as head coach of the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Los Angeles Sparks.
“I am heartbroken by the sudden loss of my uncle,” said La Salle men’s basketball assistant coach and Bryant’s nephew, John Cox. “He was a basketball icon in the city of Philadelphia and someone I grew up admiring. The impact he has made both here at La Salle and in the Philly basketball community will be felt for years to come.”
Bryant was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1981, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever don an Explorers uniform. His passing is a tremendous loss for the La Salle community and the sport of basketball as a whole.
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