Joe Bryant, father of NBA great Kobe Bryant, dead at 69

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Former NBA player Joe Bryant, the father of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, has died. He was 69. 

La Salle head coach Fran Dunphy told The Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday that Bryant passed away after recently suffering a massive stroke. His death comes more than four years after his son and granddaughter, Gigi, tragically died in a helicopter crash in Southern California on Jan. 26, 2020. 

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers hugs his dad Joe Bryant after their win against the Utah Jazz in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals at the EnergySolutions Arena on May 8, 2010, in Salt Lake City. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Seven other people onboard also died in that crash. 

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La Salle University, where Joe Bryant played and eventually returned as an assistant coach in 1993, confirmed the news on social media. 

Kobe Bryant of the Lakers poses for a photo with his father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, after winning the NBA Championship on June 19, 2000, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

"We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant," the statement posted to X read. "Joe played for the Explorers from 1973-75 and was a member of our coaching staff from 1993-96. He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed." 

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Bryant was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the 14th overall pick in the 1975 NBA Draft. He played eight seasons in the NBA with the