When Kobe Bryant’s Father’s Teammate Was Mighty Impressed By How He and His Wife Raised Their Children

The game of basketball was forever changed when Kobe Bryant entered the picture. The Black Mamba was one of the most decorated players in NBA history, winning five championships and being named an All-Star in 18 out of the 20 seasons he played with the Lakers. Kobe’s legacy in the game grew even stronger after his tragic passing in 2020. His death left a hole in many fans’ hearts, but his passionate competitiveness remains alive in the superstars of this era.

Kobe wasn’t the only successful Bryant in his family. His sisters, Shaya and Sharia, found a path in the business world. Sharia is linked up with a company called SUN50, where she serves as the director of corporate sales and partnerships. On top of that, she got certified as a trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Meanwhile, Shaya studied international business at La Salle University, which landed her a job at the Aria in Las Vegas. Suffice to say, the Bryant bloodline was raised strong.

Kobe, Shaya, and Sharia were raised by Joe and Pam Bryant. Joe played in the NBA for eight years before transitioning to the EuroLeague for the final stretch of his playing days. Leon Douglas, one of Joe’s teammates from Italy, was mighty impressed with how Joe and Pam raised their three children. He spoke about the incredible job they did during an interview for Kobe’s biography, Showboat, written by Roland Lazenby.

“If other people raised their children the way the Bryants raised their three, we would have a lot of productive people in this world,” stated Lazenby. The words, although sweet in nature, were a poor prediction for the future. Kobe and his parents had a strained relationship dating back to when he began dating his wife, Vanessa Bryant. Pam and Joe even missed their son’s wedding day.

In 2013, an even darker incident took place that further pushed the Mamba away from his family. Pam and Joe attempted to sell a large amount of Kobe’s memorabilia without his consent. This led to significant backlash and an eventual lawsuit, one that further dented the already fractured remnants of the Bryant clan. Joe and Pam later publicly apologized for their wrongdoing.

Unfortunately, a full reconciliation never took place between Kobe and his parents. The black cloud will forever remain above as Pam and Joe’s son, along with their granddaughter Gianna, tragically died in a helicopter crash in January of 2020.

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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