Vanessa Bryant has expressed her grief over the death of her father-in-law, Joe Bryant, on Tuesday afternoon. Joe Bryant, the father of the late NBA star Kobe Bryant, passed away at 69 following a recent massive stroke, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “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.”
In her tribute to Joe Bryant, Vanessa appeared to allude to the strained relationship between Kobe Bryant and his parents, according to the New York Post. The tension grew during Kobe’s Hall of Fame career with the Lakers.
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Kobe and Vanessa married in 2001 without the approval of Joe and Kobe’s mother, Pamela, who did not attend the wedding. In 2013, Kobe’s relationship with his parents deteriorated further when his mother, Pamela, attempted to auction over $1.5 million worth of his memorabilia.
According to The Sun, Kobe had been trying to mend ties with his parents before his tragic death in a helicopter crash with his daughter, Gigi, in California on January 26, 2020.
Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, nicknamed during his basketball career, was the 14th overall pick in the 1975 NBA draft by the Warriors. Less than four months later, his draft rights were traded to his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers.
Joe played eight NBA seasons with the 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Rockets. Afterward, he continued his basketball career in Italy and France.
Transitioning to coaching, he led several teams in the U.S. and abroad, including the Los Angeles Sparks from 2005-07 and La Salle University from 1993-96.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant,” the LaSalle men’s basketball team said in a post on X following his death.
