- Joe Bryant is the father of the late NBA star Kobe Bryant
- Joe was once arrested for cocaine while also crashing his car
- Joe turned his life around and had an eight-year NBA career
Kobe Bryant is well known for being one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. It’s also well known that Kobe’s father, Joe Bryant, played in the NBA.
But did you know that Kobe’s father once ran from the police while having bags of cocaine in his possession? Yes, this did happen, and it was in 1976 when Joe was a rookie with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The official police report that was featured in the New York Times newspaper stated, “Bryant was arrested after he jumped from the crashed auto and attempted to run. Two plastic bags containing vials of a substance determined to be cocaine were found on the front seat of the car.”
Joe apparently ran from the police in his vehicle, where he eventually crashed into three parked cars and ultimately hit a wall. Kobe’s father then attempted to flee from the vehicle on foot and was caught by police.
Once in police custody, two vials of cocaine were found in Joe’s car. This led to Kobe’s father being charged with cocaine possession, resisting arrest, and driving without a license.
What made the situation worse for Joe was the fact he was with an old girlfriend of his, despite being married to Kobe’s mother, Pam Bryant, at the time. Even with this revelation, Pam stood by Joe, not giving up on their relationship.
Joe was eventually acquitted on all charges by a judge, who ruled the vehicle search was illegal. After this incident, Joe turned his life around, focused on his NBA career, and started a family with his wife.
Joe And Kobe Bryant’s Relationship Wasn’t Good
You’d think a father and son who both played in the NBA would bring the pair closer together, but that wasn’t the case with Kobe and his father, Joe. Their relationship suffered over the years, and it was ultimately because of Kobe’s marriage.
When Kobe married his wife, Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s parents disapproved of their relationship since Vanessa was Latina and not African American. This was such a problem for Kobe’s parents that they did not attend Kobe’s wedding in 2001.
There were other problems over the years, as well. Like when Kobe’s parents attempted to auction off his belongings without telling him in 2013.
Yes, Kobe and Joe’s relationship was certainly strained over the years. Joe and Pamela even skipped Kobe’s last NBA game in 2016, further showing the distant relationship between parents and child.
“Our relationship is s–t,” Kobe said in an interview with ESPN. “I say, ‘I’m going to buy you a very nice home,’ and the response is, ‘That’s not good enough?’ Then you’re selling my s–t?”
The unfortunate passing of Kobe Bryant shook the entire basketball world. What’s even more unfortunate is it’s unsure if Kobe and his parents fully reconciled or not.
Joe and Pamela did attend Kobe’s memorial, but they did not speak. For the sake of Kobe’s remaining children, we hope Joe and Pamela have made an effort to be in their lives and put their differences with Kobe’s wife aside.
Joe Bryant’s NBA Career
Joe Bryant had a solid collegiate basketball career at La Salle University, where he averaged 20.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in two years. He eventually made his way to the NBA after being drafted 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors in 1975.
Before the start of the 1975-76 season, Joe was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. Joe played four seasons with the 76ers and even reached the 1977 NBA Finals.
The 76ers lost the Finals 4-2 to the Portland Trail Blazers, and Joe didn’t see much playing time. Joe only saw 9.0 minutes per game on the floor and put up averages of 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds.
Joe would play a total of eight seasons in the NBA with the 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and the Houston Rockets. He finished his career with averages of 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
Joe didn’t initially want to leave the NBA, but after the 1982-83 season with the Rockets, Joe was cut, and no NBA team picked him up. This led to Joe playing overseas and the famous story of his son, Kobe, growing up in Italy, was born.
Joe ended up playing in Italy and France from 1982 to 1992 before officially retiring from playing basketball. Since then, Joe has coached several teams, including the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks from 2005 to 2007.
It’s safe to say Kobe Bryant’s father, Joe Bryant, rebounded from his 1976 mistake that saw him crash his car while having cocaine in his possession. This shows that, even if you make a mistake, you can change and better your life by making better choices.
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