The wife of basketball legend late Kobe Bryant, Vanessa Bryant, broke the silence after the passing of Kobe’s father Joe Bryant who passed away at the age of 69. The tragic news of Bryant’s passing was confirmed by La Salle University announced on Tuesday.
The university’s statement said, “We are saddened to announce the passing of La Salle basketball great Joe Bryant. He was a beloved member of the Explorer family and will be dearly missed.” Bryant played at the Philadelphia school from 1973-1975 and coached the Explorers from 1993-96 after a career from 1975-1983 where he represented the Philadelphia 76ers, then-San Diego Clippers and Houston Rockets in the NBA and then plying his trade in Europe.
Vanessa Bryant breaks silence after death of Kobe Bryant’s Father
Addressing Joe Bryant’s death, Vanessa shared a story on Instagram which said, “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. Our prayers go out to family.”
Delving deep into Bryant’s career, the father of Kobe Bryant was a forward and averaged 8.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists a game. After his playing days, Bryant was a head coach and went 40-24 over three seasons with the Women’s NBA Los Angeles Sparks. Bryant also coached clubs in Tokyo – Hokkaido, Bangkok and Fukuoka.