Vanessa Bryant is mourning the loss of Kobe Bryant’s father.
The mother of four took to her Instagram Story on Tuesday to comment on Joe Bryant’s passing. He was 69 years old.
“Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father in law’s passing,” she wrote. “We hoped things would’ve been different. Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around.”
She added, “Kobe loved him very much. Our prayers go out to family.”
La Salle University’s athletic department confirmed Joe’s death, though it’s unclear how he passed.
Bryant both played for and coached the Philadelphia college’s basketball team.
According to the New York Times, Joe went by the nickname Jellybean due to his love for the candy. He was a forward in the NBA for eight seasons, playing for the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets.
Bryant found more success playing abroad in Italy, and later coached several Asian teams and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. Joe married Pamela Cox in 1975, later welcoming Kobe and two daughters, Sharia and Shaya.
Kobe’s parents had concerns about his marriage to Vanessa—and so he was estranged from Joe and Pamela, who didn’t attend his wedding. It seems that later on, Kobe’s relationship with his parents did improve.
Kobe and his daughter, Gianna passed away in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles County in 2020. He was 41 years old and Gianna was 13.