Kobe Bryant ‘s parents, Joe and Pam Bryant, were among the 20,000 family, friends and fans mourning the loss of the basketball great and his daughter, Gianna, at Monday’s service.
Kobe had been reportedly estranged from his parents at his time of his death . However his wife Vanessa Bryant invited them to the “ Celebration of Life” memorial event Monday to mourn as a family, according to Hollywood Life .
The couple, who clung to each other as they made their way into the sold-out Staples Center, was greeted by Los Angeles Lakers greats Magic Johnson and Derek Fisher. Johnson was visibly crying as he hugged Pam, while Fisher embraced Joe as they took their seats.
Kobe’s parents have not issued a public statement since the death of their son on January 26.
Joe And Pam Bryant Didn’t Attend Kobe And Vanessa’s Wedding
The tenuous relationship between Kobe and his parents began with their disapproval of his marriage to Vanessa . According to reports at the time, the Bryants felt Kobe and Vanessa — then 22 and 19 — were too young to make such a commitment. They chose not to attend the wedding held on April 18, 2001. Kobe and Vanessa were married for 19 years at the time of his death.
Kobe reportedly reconciled with his parents in 2005 when Joe took a job coaching the Los Angeles Sparks, according to People . And in 2010 Kobe’s parents were seen at the Lakers games as the team fought to win the championship. According to the magazine, Joe and Pam were not invited by their son.
The Second Rift In Their Relationship Happened When Kobe’s Parents Tried To Sell His Memorabilia
In 2013 Kobe had a very public falling out with his parents when he learned they were trying to sell his high school basketball uniforms and Lakers championship rings.
“Our relationship is sh*t. I say, ‘I’m going to buy you a very nice home,’ and the response is, ‘That’s not good enough?’ Then you’re selling my sh*t?” Kobe told ESPN in 2016 during an interview about his pending retirement, after not speaking to his parents in three years.
A settlement was reached allowing the Bryants to sell $500,000 worth of items. Joe and Pam issued a public apology saying they regretted any pain they caused Kobe with their actions and thanked him for his financial support over the years.
Kobe also backed away from a financial relationship with his sisters Sharia and Shaya after the incident and said he was happy with how they handled themselves afterward.
“I’m really proud of them. They were able to get their own jobs, get their own lives, take care of themselves. Now they have a better sense of self, of who they are as people, instead of being resentful because they were relying on me,” he said.
Kobe May Have Reconciled With His Dad Before He Died
Ex-NBA coach and family friend Wade Slappy recalled seeing Kobe recently hugging his dad at a basketball camp in California, according to The Daily Mail .
“I just remember being with him up at his camp in Santa Barbara and seeing him hug his dad. You know how they loved each other from how they looked at each other, how they smiled,” recalled Slappy.