Kobe Bryant’s family attended the memorial service, too. Here’s what we know (2024)

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Kobe Bryant’s parents — Joe and Pamela Cox Bryant — attended the Kobe Bryant memorial service on Monday at the Staples Center, but they didn’t speak during the memorial.

What’s going on?

• Multiple reports revealed that Joe Bryant and Pamela Bryant were in attendance at the event to honor their late son, who died on Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash with his daughter Gianna and seven others.
• Little has been reported about Kobe Bryant’s parents since his death. They have made few comments in the media.

Some context about the family:

• Joe Bryant — nickname “Jellybean” — played professional basketball and became a basketball coach, according to Heavy.com.
• Joe Bryant and Pam Bryant got married in 1975.
• Joe and Pamela Bryant gave birth to Kobe Bryant’s sisters, Sharia and Shaya, according to Heavy.com.

What was Kobe Bryant’s relationship with his parents?

• Heavy.com said: “While the family was close growing up, the first falling out with their son happened in 2001, when they didn’t approve of his marriage to Vanessa, and the family refused to attend their wedding. However, after Vanessa gave birth to their first child Natalia, things softened, and their relationship once again became amicable.
• “In 2013, Pam and Joe had another hugefalling outwith Kobe after they were caught trying to sell their son’smemorabiliabehind his back. Joe and Pam were not present for Kobe’s final NBA game, nor were they in attendance for his jersey retirement ceremony in 2017. They were not invited.”

Any hope for the Bryant family?

• Wayne Slappy, a friend of Joe Bryant, told the Daily Mail that he saw hope for the family.
• Slappy told the Daily Mail: “You know how they loved each other from how they looked at each other, how they smiled. (Kobe) was 41 years old, and then his daughter dies in an accident with him, too. His family (is) going to miss him more than you can begin to imagine.”