Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of the late Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, has died at the age of 69, La Salle University’s athletics department reported.
Citing La Salle men’s head basketball coach Fran Dunphy, The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote Joe had recently suffered a stoke. The exact cause of death hasn’t been confirmed yet.
La Salle University, where Joe played and coached, said in a statement that he “was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.”
Just like his famous son, Joe was a renowned basketball player himself. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors as the 14th overall pick in the 1975 NBA draft, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers for four seasons, the then-San Diego Clippers for three seasons, and the Houston Rockets for one season. He also played in Europe.
The 76ers paid tribute to Joe, calling him “a local basketball icon, whose legacy on the court transcended his journey across Bartram High School, La Salle University, and his first four NBA seasons with the 76ers from 1975-79.”
Joe’s sudden passing comes four years after the tragic death of his son Kobe and his granddaughter Gianna, who were killed in a helicopter crash with seven other people.
Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, wrote on her Instagram story on Tuesday, “Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law’s passing.
“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.”
Former Kobe teammate Doug Young praised Joe as the ideal “role model.”
“Joe was our JV coach at Lower Merion and I could not have asked for a more positive mentor, teacher, and role model,” Young told ESPN. “It’s difficult to overstate how much he influenced me and my teammates. He made basketball fun and made us all want to be better; he believed in us. I’ll never forget his infectious smile, his bear hugs and the incredible bond he shared with Kobe. Growing up in Lower Merion, there was no family we loved and admired more than the Bryants, and that started with Joe.”
Arn Tellem, the vice chairman of the Pistons and formerly Kobe Bryant’s agent, expressed his sadness over the loss of Joe and joined the basketball community in mourning a true Philly hoops legend. “Our friendship opened the door for me to represent Kobe as he entered the NBA, a memory I’ll always cherish. Joe was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, whose warmth touched everyone he met.”
May he rest in peace.
The current appearance of Jim Carrey’s 33-year-old daughter.
Some well-known actors said that they developed celebrity sickness following their first significant success. Not everyone was able to get over it. People lost their fame, families, and careers. Some were eventually able to realize that they needed to put fame aside and focus on their careers.
Jim Carrey, a well-known actor, was unable to resist celebrity fever at the beginning of his career. His marriage was devastated by it. Jim had a child by this point as well.
Jim Carrey became well-known thanks to “Ace Ventura.” Not just in his home nation but also outside of it, people became aware of him. The actor’s fame did not last forever. He started to indulge in outrageous behavior.
Jim’s wife initially put up with his pranks while working to calm down her famous husband. Kerry remained unchanged, and things continued to become worse.
His wife divorced him. Both the actor and his wife found the divorce procedure to be quite difficult. The fact that the couple had a young daughter added complications to everything. They chose to carry out their joint parenting duties rather than subject the kid to psychological harm.
The performer, who had many fans, did not experience loneliness for very long after a public divorce. He remarried, but the union did not endure very long. Jim Carrey chose to maintain his coveted single status.
The actor was able to comprehend that a small person existed in his life. He started supporting his daughter’s artistic ambitions. She started writing novels after developing a love for music.
Despite moving in with her mother following the divorce, the girl’s connection with her father is the finest. They like working together and have a good understanding of one another.
The girl dislikes discussing who her father is in conversation. She does not want to be known just as the actor’s renowned actor’s kid.
Jim Carrey, on the other hand, reportedly became weary of his stardom. The actor’s lack of a social media account is at least one indication of this. His sole publicly accessible profile was on Twitter. Jim than just did it to keep an eye on his daughter’s life. Father and daughter are unable to speak as frequently as they would like because of their constant busyness.
The girl has developed into a genuine beauty and is no longer like the chubby youngster she once was.
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