Joe Bryant, father of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, has passed away at 69. La Salle University’s athletics department confirmed the news. Reports indicate he had suffered a stroke, though the exact cause of death remains unconfirmed.

Nicknamed “Jellybean,” Joe Bryant played college basketball at La Salle University before being selected 14th overall in the 1975 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He went on to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets. He also had a successful career in Italy before returning to La Salle as a coach from 1993 to 1996.

La Salle’s men’s basketball team expressed their condolences, calling him a “beloved member of their basketball family.” The Philadelphia 76ers honored him as a “local basketball icon.”

His legacy spans from Bartram High School to the NBA and beyond. His passing comes just months after the tragic loss of Kobe and Gianna Bryant in a helicopter crash.

Joe and Kobe Bryant’s impact on basketball will be forever remembered. Our thoughts are with the Bryant family.