Joe Bryant facts for kids
Bryant coaching Levanga Hokkaido in 2010
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 19, 1954 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | July 16, 2024 (aged 69) |
| High school | John Bartram (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | La Salle (1973–1975) |
| NBA Draft | 1975 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall |
| Selected by the Golden State Warriors | |
| Pro career | 1975–1991 |
| Coaching career | 1992–2015 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1975–1979 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1979–1982 | San Diego Clippers |
| 1982–1983 | Houston Rockets |
| 1983–1986 | AMG Sebastiani Rieti |
| 1986–1987 | Standa Reggio Calabria |
| 1987–1989 | Olimpia Pistoia |
| 1989–1991 | Reggiana |
| 1991 | Mulhouse |
| As coach: | |
| 1992–1993 | Akiba Hebrew Academy |
| 1993–1996 | La Salle (assistant) |
| 2003–2004 | Las Vegas Rattlers |
| 2004–2005 | Boston Frenzy |
| 2005–2007 | Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2007–2009 | Tokyo Apache |
| 2010–2011 | Levanga Hokkaido |
| 2011 | Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2012 | Bangkok Cobras |
| 2013 | Chang Thailand Slammers |
| 2014–2015 | Rizing Fukuoka |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 5,252 (8.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,441 (4.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,049 (1.7 apg) |
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant (born October 19, 1954 – died July 16, 2024) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He was known by his fun nickname "Jellybean." He played for several teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA), including the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets. He also played basketball in Italy and France.
After his playing career, Bryant became a coach. He coached the WNBA team Los Angeles Sparks from 2005 to 2007, and again in 2011. He also coached teams in Italy, Japan, and Thailand. Joe Bryant was the father of the famous basketball player Kobe Bryant, who is in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Playing Career
Philadelphia 76ers (1975–1979)
Joe Bryant was a talented player at La Salle University. After college, the Golden State Warriors picked him in the NBA draft. However, he was quickly traded to his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. He played for the 76ers for four seasons.
During the 1976–77 season, he played alongside NBA stars like Julius Erving, Doug Collins, and George McGinnis. That year, the team made it all the way to the 1977 NBA Finals. They played against the Portland Trail Blazers but lost the series.
San Diego Clippers (1979–1982)
Before the 1979–1980 season, Joe Bryant was traded to the San Diego Clippers. He played there for three seasons. In his first game with the Clippers, he made a memorable slam dunk over the legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Houston Rockets (1982-1983)
After playing for the Clippers, Bryant was traded to the Houston Rockets. He played one season with them, which was his last season in the NBA.
Playing in Europe (1983–1992)
After leaving the NBA, Joe Bryant continued his basketball career overseas. He played for various teams in Italy and France from 1982 until 1992. He officially stopped playing professional basketball in 1992.
Coaching Career
Early Coaching Roles (1992–1996)
Joe Bryant began his coaching career after returning from Europe. In the 1992–1993 season, he coached the girls' basketball team at Akiba Hebrew Academy in Pennsylvania.
In June 1993, he became an assistant coach at his old college, La Salle University. He coached there until May 1996. He left La Salle when his son, Kobe, decided to go straight from high school to the NBA.
Los Angeles Sparks (2005–2007, 2011)
On August 22, 2005, Joe Bryant became the head coach of the WNBA team, the Los Angeles Sparks. He had been an assistant coach for the team before this.
In the 2006 season, he led the Sparks to a great record of 25 wins and 9 losses. They made it to the Conference Finals that year. In April 2007, he was replaced as head coach. However, he returned to the Sparks in 2011, first as an assistant coach, and then as the head coach for the rest of that season.
Coaching Around the World (2007–2015)
Joe Bryant also coached basketball teams in other countries. From 2007 to 2009, he coached the Tokyo Apache in Japan. His team was the runner-up in the playoffs in 2008 and 2009.
In 2009, he coached an Italian club called Sebastiani Rieti. He also coached the Japanese team Levanga Hokkaido during the 2010–2011 season. In 2012, he coached the Bangkok Cobras in Thailand for a season. His last coaching job was with Rizing Fukuoka in Japan in 2015.
Personal Life
In 1975, Joe Bryant married Pam Cox. Pam's brother, Chubby Cox, was also an NBA player. Joe and Pam had three children: their famous son Kobe, and two daughters, Sharia and Shaya. The Bryant family is Catholic. Joe Bryant was also the uncle of professional basketball player John Cox IV.
Joe Bryant passed away on July 16, 2024, at the age of 69. Reports mentioned that he had recently suffered a major stroke.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Bryant para niños
