“First Six-Foot-Nine Point Guard”: Kobe Bryant’s Father’s Magic Johnson Like Skill Set Adversely Impacted His NBA Career

Joe Bryant wasn’t just the father of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. He was a baller himself. In the late 1970s and early 1980s who played for three NBA teams, including the Rockets, 76ers, and the Clippers, for a short stint they were in San Diego. Joe was mainly slotted into the point guard position, which was funny considering he had the size of a 4 or a 5 spot. You wouldn’t know that from watching him move, as Papa Bryant was one of the quickest men on the court.

While not as memorable as the Black Mamba, Joe did have a run worth discussing. He got to play in the 1977 NBA Finals alongside all-time great Julius Erving during his time in Philly. Nicknamed “Jellybean,” Joe was known for his exceptional ball-handling and passing skills, a rare combination for someone of his size. He finished his playing career averaging 8.7 points and 4 rebounds per game.

More importantly, “Jellybean” was recognized as one of the first big men to play the point guard position. Famed Los Angeles Lakers coach Paul Westhead once spoke about the now deceased athlete during an excerpt of his son Kobe’s biography, Showboat by Roland Lazenby.

“In retrospect Joe Bryant was the first six-foot-nine point guard in America,” Westhead said. However, as much as the championship-winning coach liked Joe’s uniqueness, he also thinks it’s what helped him back. “Many people who saw Joe play thought that he had too much juice, that he did too many things, that he should have toned down his game befitting a forward and not act like he was a point guard.”

After 1981, Joe would no longer play in the NBA. He did ball for a few years in Europe, but transitioned into a career coaching instead. Most of that work came overseas. He coached in Thailand, Japan, the Islands, and several minor league teams across the world. His biggest job came as the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA, which he did from 2005-2007, and one additional season in 2011.

“Jellybean” passed away in 2024 at 69 years old. His death came just over four years after the tragic passing of Kobe and his granddaughter Gianna. The story of the Black Mamba could never be told without first mentioning Joe — and how different he was as a player, a father, and a man.

When looking at today’s NBA, there are a number of big men who possess the same skills that Joe once had. Nikola Jokic isn’t just a big brute under the rim. He can shoot, pass, and even move at times like a player much smaller than he is. Westhead was right. People at the time probably weren’t ready for a big guy who could play the point guard position. It seems that “Jellybean” was just born in the wrong era.

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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