Kobe Bryant's Parents: What to Know About Joe and Pamela Bryant

Joe “Jellybean” Bryant

Bryant was the son of a former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant. Joe played power forward and center in the NBA from 1975 until 1983.

He was part of three major franchises: the Philadelphia 76ers, the San Diego Clippers (Now the L.A. Clippers), and the Houston Rockets.

Basketball Influence

Because he was the son of an NBA player, this meant Bryant was surrounded by basketball throughout his childhood. In 2010, ESPN reported that when Bryant was a kid, Joe would show him old videos of renowned NBA players so as to help his son learn their styles.

"My father told me, 'Watch this. See this guy? This is how you can make use of your left hand,'" Bryant said. "It was John Battle, dribbling left and laying it in."

Pamela Bryant

Bryant's mother is Pamela Bryant, the sister of former NBA player Chubby Cox.

Additionally, Pam and Joe are also parents to two daughters: Sharia and Shaya, Bryant's biological sisters.

Disapproval of Vanessa

In 2003, the Orlando Sentinel reported that Joe and Pamela chose not to attend their son's wedding, as they were reportedly unhappy that he was getting married at the age of 21 to then-18-year-old Vanessa.

Bryant also reportedly claimed that Joe was not comfortable with the fact that Vanessa was Latina, claiming his parents wanted him to marry a black woman.

Joe even publicly addressed his issues with his son, saying, "Once he decided to get married, it's his life now."

Further Strained Relatioship

In 2013, the relationship between Bryant and his parents became even more strained, after Joe and Pamela attempted to auction off more than $1 million worth of his memorabilia.

Bryant had his attorneys file a cease and desist letter to stop the auction from happening.

Later, he took to Twitter to express his frustration about the situation with his parents.

Not Speaking

Kobe eventually revealed, in an interview with ESPN, that his falling out with both of his parents led them to no longer being on speaking terms.

"Our relationship is s—," he told the outlet. "I say [to them], 'I'm going to buy you a very nice home, and the response is 'That's not good enough'?"

Bryant's Death

While it was not much discussed in recent years, according to all details available, the relationship between Bryant and his parents remained strained.

However, there are indications that he may have been on speaking terms with them when he passed away.