Joe Bryant, Kobe Bryant's Father, Dies at Age 69 After Massive Stroke

Vanessa Bryant Mourns the Loss of Her Father-in-Law

Joe Bryant, the father of late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, has passed away at the age of 69 due to a massive stroke.

The news was confirmed by his wife, Pamela Cox Bryant, who shared a tribute to him on Instagram on Tuesday, July 16. "My husband, Joe Bryant, who I have been married to for 49 years, died yesterday after a massive stroke," she wrote. "We are devasted."

Joe Bryant was a former professional basketball player who played for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Houston Rockets in the 1970s. He was a three-time NBA champion with the 76ers (1972, 1973, and 1976). After his playing career, Joe Bryant became a successful coach and was the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA from 2005 to 2007.

Joe Bryant is survived by his wife, Pamela, his two daughters, Sharia and Shaya, and his son, Kobe, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.