"We hope things would have been different" - Vanessa Bryant mourns passing of Kobe Bryant's father with heartfelt condolences
On Tuesday, Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa Bryant, announced the passing of NBA veteran Joe Bryant, who died at the age of 69 on Monday. Bryant, spent a number of years playing professional basketball, before then transitioning to a coaching role in his later years, both playing and coaching around the globe.
While Vanessa Bryant didn't give details as to how Joe Bryant died, the Philadelphia Inquirer has reported that Joe Bryant aka "Jellybean" has been dealing with some health issues after suffering a stroke.
The report from The Philadelphia Inquirer relayed info from La Salle coach Fran Dunphy, who revealed that the NBA vet had suffered a stroke before his death on Tuesday. While it's unclear when Kobe Bryant's father suffered the stroke, it sounds as though the situation played a role in his death on Monday.
In a post on her Instagram story, Vanessa Bryant opened up on the situation, briefly touching on the rocky relationship Joe Bryant had with his son, Kobe Bryant.
"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."
Given that Instagram stories automatically delete after 24 hours, they cannot be embedded here. In lieu of an embed, you can see a screenshot of Vanessa Bryant's Instagram story below.
Looking at the rift between Joe Bryant and his son, Kobe Bryant
Prior to Kobe Bryant's death, he and his parents had been on rocky terms for quite some time. Back in 2003, during an interview with The Orlando Sentinel, Kobe Bryant alleged that he hadn't spoken with his parents in two years.
As he claimed, his dad decided that he wouldn't attend his son's wedding because he didn't approve of his son marrying Vanessa Bryant because of her ethnicity. While Joe Bryant has denied the claims, he was notably absent from the 2001 wedding.
That same year, in 2003, when Kobe and Vanessa Bryant welcomed their first daughter, Natalia Bryant, he and his parents reportedly mended fences, however, it didn't last.
In 2013, Bryant sued his parents for selling memorabilia using his name, image and likeness, with courts ruling in favor of the LA Lakers legend. In response, his parents issued an apology, however, it hasn't been clear whether the two sides were able to mend fences before Bryant's tragic death in 2020.
Despite that, when the NBA community gathered for Kobe's funeral, both of Kobe's parents, Joe and Pam were seated in the front row. In the wake of the funeral, it was unclear whether Joe and Pam Bryant mended fences with Vanessa Bryant following their son's tragic death.