Vanessa Bryant Breaks Her Silence on Father-in-Law Joe Bryant's Death
"We hoped things would've been different."
Published July 16 2024, 3:16 p.m. ET
Basketball fans everywhere are expressing sadness following the death of Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, Kobe Bryant's father and former NBA player. Several of Joe's former colleagues, friends, and teams have shared their condolences on social media, from the Philadelphia 76ers to the legendary Magic Johnson.
On his X page, Magic said, "I'm devastated to hear about the loss of my friend Joe 'Jellybean' Bryant ... Joe was an exceptional human being with a radiant smile that had the power to brighten any room, and a great husband and father."
Due to the tumultuous nature of Kobe Bryant's relationship with his parents, Joe and Pam, many fans were waiting to see what Kobe's widow, Vanessa Bryant, would say regarding the sad news. Now, in a post on her Instagram story, she has put out a statement.
Vanessa Bryant has posted about her father-in-law's death on Instagram.
In a text post on her Instagram story, Vanessa Bryant had this to say: "Sending our condolences upon hearing the news of my father-in-law's passing."
She continued, "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."
The statement was notably impersonal, offering condolences to Joe's family as though she wasn't a part of it. Some fans on social media were quick to point this out, with some comments even saying that her post showed "attitude."
"She seems super distant. But I guess that might’ve been the nature of the relationship," one person posted on X.
Kobe and his parents had a strained relationship before his death.
According to multiple sources, Kobe Bryant and his parents, Joe and Pamela, didn't have the best relationship prior to Kobe's tragic passing. Though Kobe and his father originally had a close and supportive bond, things fell apart once the former's fame began to rise. Reportedly, Joe and Pamela weren't supportive of Kobe's relationship with Vanessa given that she was not a Black woman. Joe later denied this.
As previously reported by Distractify, "Kobe and his parents didn't speak again until the birth of his and Vanessa's first child, Natalia. But in 2013, they were on the outs again when the Black Mamba sued Joe and Pam for attempting to sell memorabilia with him on it."
