BREAKING NEWSKobe Bryant's Dad Joe Dead at 69 — 4 Years After Basketball Star Was Tragically Killed in Helicopter Accident
July 16 2024, Published 11:05 a.m. ET
Kobe Bryant's dad, Joe Bryant, has died at 69 years old — four years after the basketball star was tragically killed in an helicopter accident.
Joe recently battled a health issue and suffered a massive stroke, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Tuesday, July 16.
Kobe Bryant died in January 2020.
Joe, who was known as "Jellybean," was the Public League Player of the Year in 1972.
He was the first-round draft pick of the Golden State Warriors in 1975, but when the Warriors sold his rights to the 76ers, he spent four seasons there. He then went on to play for the Houston Rockets, but he became even more successful playing in Europe.
As OK! previously reported, Kobe's life came to an end when he and his daughter Gigi Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California on January 26, 2020.
Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, has been open about how she keeps her late husband's and daughter's memory alive since then.
In February, Vanessa gave an emotional speech after a statue of her husband was unveiled outside the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The longtime lovers tied the knot in 2001.
“To the fans here in L.A., this is a special city Kobe was so proud to represent,” Vanessa said. “You welcomed him with open arms and have been so important to him, our family and his legacy. It brings me joy to see how much love you have for all of us. We love you back.”
“For the record, Kobe picked the pose you’re about to see. So if anyone has any issues with it, tough s---. It is what it is,” she joked.
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Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna both died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
During the speech, Vanessa, who married Kobe in 2001, said she requested that the statue include Gigi's name, in addition to their three other daughters, Natalia, Bianka and Capri.
“One detail you may notice is that all of our daughter’s names are tattooed on Kobe’s arm," she said. "Although some of our girls weren’t born at the time of that particular moment, that specific detail is for Kobe."
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"'Leave the game better than you found it, and when it comes time for you to leave, leave a legend,'" she concluded her speech, referring to something Kobe frequently said. "And that he did."
