[ODDS and EVENS] Remembering Joe Bryant and His Impact on Basketball's Growth in Japan

Joe Bryant was a beloved, admired basketball coach in the Tokyo Apache's brief, successful existence (2005-11).

At the helm during their first four seasons, Bryant planted the seeds of success for the Apache with infectious enthusiasm for the game and a rock-solid belief in his players. And he led them to back-to-back championship runner-up finishes in their third and fourth seasons.

The death of the former NBA and Italian pro basketball star, announced on July 16 by his alma mater La Salle University in Philadelphia, brought immense sadness to the global basketball community. Bryant was 69, and his death came 4½ years after his son and hoops protégé Kobe's death in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles. 

It's been said many times that Kobe was the most popular basketball player in Japan after Michael Jordan retired. 

In Japan, Coach Bryant, known as "Jellybean" throughout his lifelong association with basketball, made it a point of emphasis to share stories about Kobe that would resonate with his players. The proud father spoke about his son's never-wavering commitment to fitness and the time he spent in the gym in the offseason seeking ways to improve.

He also had profound pride in his son's accomplishments on the basketball court and the way he played the game.

For example, my email inbox still contains this note that Joe Bryant sent to me a few days before Christmas in December 2009: "It's a joy to watch my son play. He understands the game and the moment."

Indeed, Kobe's flair for the game was heavily influenced by his father.

How Joe Bryant Approached the Game

Waves of memories and tributes to the elder Bryant, who was born and raised in Philadelphia, spread on social media in the days after people learned of the massive stroke that claimed his life.

Former Apache players Kohei "Cohey" Aoki, Masashi Joho, Jo Kurino, John "Helicopter" Humphrey and Jun Nakanishi, among others shared reflections on their popular mentor.

People also reminded one another of Jellybean's impressive athleticism. Exhibit A: Bryant dunking on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the opening game of the 1979-80 NBA season.

Throughout Japan and elsewhere, folks recalled the impact that Bryant had on the Apache and on the bj-league. 

Bryant helped popularize the sport and give the fledgling bj-league credibility when it was launched as a rival to the staid Japan Basketball League. It began play in 2005 with six teams. (When the bj-league merged with the NBL, the JBL's successor, in 2016 to create the B.League, the bj-league had 24 teams.)

Mourning the Passing of Joe Bryant

In an interview, retired 165-cm guard Aoki, who became a perennial All-Star in the bj-league, mourned Bryant's passing. He  also mentioned that he appreciated Joe's thoughtfulness.

"Even after we were no longer on the same team, he would always send me a message every year on my children's birthday, my wife's birthday, or my birthday," Aoki shared.

"It is very sad that Joe is no longer with us, and I really wanted to go to the United States to express my gratitude to him. … But Joe will always live on in my heart. I hope that I can be a little like Joe, and I will continue to follow his footsteps as I walk my own path."

The Kyushu native, who reunited with newly appointed Coach Bryant on the Rizing Fukuoka in the 2014-15 season, added: "I would like to extend my sincere condolences to all of Joe's family members."

Advice That Changed Aoki's Playing Career

Due to his height, Aoki was expected to always be a point guard. Although he had solid ball-handling and passing skills, he felt more confidence being showcased as a shooter. 

Most coaches wouldn't have considered this option, but Joe Bryant saw the game differently. He believed in positionless basketball. Just play the game.

"I am very happy to have had Joe as the first coach in my career, because he really practiced what Japanese coaches didn't, which was to value individuality," the former Senshu University player said. 

Specifically, what did Bryant tell Aoki?

Recalled Aoki: "He said, 'I don't want to decide your position because of your height, and I want you to express yourself as much as you can on the court. Just express yourself on the court.' "

That was career-changing advice for Aoki, one of the best clutch shooters in bj-league history.

Why?

"Because I was no longer burdened with the idea that I had to play point guard," Aoki said, "because of my height in professional basketball."

What did Bryant see in Aoki when he was a rookie?

"He valued my shooting ability, basketball IQ and scoring ability," Aoki recalled, "and he told me to play as Kohei Aoki regardless of my position, and he also made many one-on-one situations with me on the court. Joe gave me many experiences, such as when I was asked to take the final shot in clutch time [in games]."

Aoki, now a youth basketball coach at Watch&C Academy in Fukuoka, imparts wisdom and lessons he learned from Bryant to his players.

"Joe trusted and believed in me more than I trusted myself, and I played with the desire to live up to his expectations," Aoki said. 

Recollections of Joe Bryant's Love for the Game

Zuko Inoue, who served as the Apache interpreter throughout Bryant's tenure with the team, recalled the coach's special affinity for basketball in an interview.

"When I think of him, he loved basketball. He taught players what love of the game is," Inoue told Odds and Evens.

She recalled, "He always told players, 'We must have fun,' 'we must enjoy the game,' 'we must play with a high level of energy.' " 

For the Apache, this was accomplished because Bryant was a positive tone-setting presence around his players. 

"He really enjoyed being around the players and practicing with them. By doing so, he always injected energy as a coach," Inoue recalled. 

Building a Bond with the Community

Instead of just focusing on preparing for games, Joe Bryant recognized that cultivating a fan base should be a key initiative for an upstart team in a new pro league.

Week after week, this effort became a major part of his and the team's busy schedule. 

"Another thing I loved about Jelly was how he treated the community and fans," Inoue remembered. "He always told team staff that the bj-league really needs to get involved with the community. [It's] not about wins and losses all the time, we need to get out to the community, to different schools and be a positive influence to the young people."

She continued, "He took care of the community and fans just like his family."

Basketball clinics and lunch with students at various elementary schools were an integral part of the Apache's community outreach efforts. They were a direct extension of Bryant's personality and outlook on the sport's role in the community.

Befriending students was important to Bryant in forming a lasting bond between a team and a city. He understood the value of establishing human connections.

"We invited these kids and parents to our home games," Inoue noted. "He believed these small things will help us to have new fans. I remember he often said, 'We really need our fans and boosters when we travel.' " 

A Father Figure and an Influential Mentor

Of all the players in Japan who suited up for Joe Bryant, Humphrey had the longest player-coach relationship with him. A former Middle Tennessee State University star, Humphrey played on two Bryant-coached squads, the Las Vegas Rattlers and the Boston Frenzy, in the relaunched American Basketball Association in 2003-04 and 2004-05, respectively.

Then, in 2005, Bryant and Humphrey continued their successful collaboration in the bj-league.

Goodbye, Boston. Hello, Tokyo.

"Jelly, as most people called him, was more than a coach," shared Humphrey, a prolific scorer and dynamic dunker. "He was a father figure, a friend, someone who taught life lessons and, most importantly, a wonderful human being. [And] he treated everyone with respect. It's very easy to play for someone like that."

Instead of relying on by-the-book rules, Bryant emphasized instincts and freedom on the court, insisting that his players learn to improvise.

This had a tremendous impact on how dominant guards Aoki and Joho helped transform the Apache into title contenders. And it influenced how the entire team played.

Recalled Humphrey, "His coaching in Japan was huge, he changed the way of thinking. Cohey, my favorite player, and Joho were two of the best from day one, however Jelly taught them and others how to be a pro. He made them two into killers on the court. [And] he gave everyone confidence from the first guy to the last guy on the bench."  

An Unorthodox Approach to Coaching

For Bryant, each game was a unique challenge. He adjusted accordingly, and it wasn't always how you'd expect.

Humphrey recalled the lesson in a tale from his Apache years (2005-09).

"One story that we laugh about to this day: We had a terrible week in practice, we were on like a six-game winning streak and not focused," Humphrey said.

The future coach continued: "We got in the game (home game) and were just a step slow, and we got down a lot. He rarely called timeouts, he often let us figure it out and weather the storm. When he called a timeout we knew we were in trouble. We walked to the bench (true story), he never spoke and called a second timeout. He passed gas ― I don't know if it was planned or not. It smelled so bad. He said, 'Y'all playing like [expletive] so smell this [expletive]' and didn't say [another] word.  … And we went out and won the game.

"He later told us he had an upset stomach and couldn't talk and that's why he wasn't talking. That's just how he was, he always came up with something to motivate the team even if it was unorthodox." 

  

A Former Coaching Rival Shares Treasured Memories

Bob Pierce, a longtime China-based scout for the NBA's Miami Heat, crossed paths with Bryant as a coach. Like Bryant with the Apache, Pierce served as the first coach in Shiga Lakestars history (2008-10).

With a variety of coaching gigs in Japan since the 1990s, Pierce has been involved in the sport and cultivated friendships with generations of players and coaches.

"I have lots of treasured memories of Joe Bryant," Pierce told Odds and Evens. "Before I even met Joe, he left an impression by legitimizing the young, upstart bj-league. When I was in China, considering whether to return to Japan to coach the Shiga Lakestars in their inaugural season, the fact that former NBA player Joe Bryant was coaching in the league was a significant factor."

Pierce added, "Every time I met him, at tryout camps, before or after games, in Las Vegas, he was always friendly and gregarious. His teams played with a unique, free-wheeling style that was closer to American streetball than to a traditional Japanese basketball team. And it was hard to take your eyes off them. Cohey, Joho, Helicopter Humphrey and the rest of the team were extremely entertaining to watch.

"I've gone back and watched highlights of several Tokyo Apache games from the 2008-2009 season, my first in the bj-league, and even all these years later, those games are fun to watch. The players were characters on the court, and Joe was one on the sidelines. Competing against him was fun and challenging, and he was gracious and humble in his interactions with me in the wins and losses."

Generous with His Time

Pierce later coached the Akita Northern Happinets, a bj-league expansion club from its inception in 2010, and the Sendai 89ers. He currently serves as the director of instruction for the Five-Star Basketball Academy in Shenzhen, China. 

In this role, Pierce reached out to Bryant, who resided in Las Vegas, several years ago. And Pierce was reminded of Bryant's generosity with his time and giving spirit.

"I asked if he would do a basketball training session for some young Chinese kids that we had brought to Las Vegas to train and play in some AAU tournaments," Pierce recalled. "The kids spent a day in the gym with Joe Byrant, 'Kobe's Dad,' and all treasured that experience. I was unable to attend, busy with NBA Summer League games that day, but very grateful that Joe was willing to spend time with our young players to make their Las Vegas trip special."

Another Coach's Interactions and Observations

Longtime Ryukyu Golden Kings assistant coach Keith Richardson, who joined the team in its inaugural season in the bj-league (2007-08), met Joe Bryant on numerous occasions in Japan.

"My most memorable story with Coach Jelly was from the 2007-08 season," Richardson decided. "At that time I was working with the Ryukyu Golden Kings as a team advisor. As the preseason was about to begin in September 2007, the Tokyo Apache were coming to Okinawa to have a series of preseason games versus the Kings. 

"Prior to the Apache coming to Okinawa I was asked by the front office staff if I could serve as guide for the Apache team while they were in Okinawa. My response was yes! 

"I was told that Coach Bryant wanted to have some practices at the various military bases in Okinawa. So I arranged practices at many of the bases and the Apache played a few scrimmage games versus the US Marines from the various bases as this is what Coach Jelly wanted, he wanted his team and the military players to play and build some camaraderie. He knew that the military is built on camaraderie and he wanted his team to have that as well."

A Visit to Kadena High School

Meeting and competing against US Marines was one part of the Apache's visit in Okinawa. 

Richardson also recalled another part of the Tokyo club's visit to the island.

"On the fourth day of the camp we decided to take his team to Kadena High School on Kadena Air Base," Richardson remembered. "At the request of the Kadena High School coach it was asked if the students that had finished school for the day if they could come into the school gym to watch the practice and Coach Jelly said most definitely please tell them to come in.

"During the practice one of the Apache players was a little banged up so Coach Jelly suited up and joined the practice as a big man. I was amazed how well he could still play at 52 years of age. He gave some of the guys 'the work' as we call it in the business when someone gets outplayed on the court."

'A Very Touching Moment'

That memorable day remains etched in Richardson's mind nearly two decades later.

"When practice ended the school staff asked if Coach Jelly would give a short speech and field a few questions. As he always did, he said by all means," Richardson said.

"Obviously, many of the questions were about Kobe and about his playing and coaching career. Coach tried to deflect many of the questions to not talk about himself or the fame of Kobe but more to speak to the kids about what a special time it is in their lives with living overseas on a beautiful island like Okinawa and the beautiful country of Japan.

"I saw this as a very touching moment in my life as well to reflect on the moment. Coach was always about the moment."

A Concerned Friend

Beyond his competitive drive in basketball, Joe Bryant showed another side of his personality to Richardson since they first met.

Similar stories were told by many others who were contacted for this column.

"For the many years we have been friends, while he was in Japan and later after he left, we have always stayed in touch," Richardson revealed. "He never missed a birthday or a Christmas message and a few years back when I was diagnosed with cancer he always checked in on me. Most recently, in October of 2023, his last message to me was 'stay on top of your checkups!'

"RIP, coach." 

Interacting with Bryant in the WNBA and in Japan

Scott Melesky, a veteran sports journalist and author, witnessed a different chapter in Joe Bryant's coaching history. Bryant served two stints as bench boss for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks (2005–07, 2011).

"Coach Bryant was very personable and accommodating to me," Melesky wrote in an email. "I was at several practices, and he definitely was a player's coach on the court. I loved watching him work with the bigs on the team. His knowledge of the game was impeccable."

Gordon James, a former premier rebounder for the Saitama Broncos and Takamatsu Five Arrows in the bj-league era, recalled positive memories of Bryant in a recent interview.

"Jelly was a good guy. He loved coaching and was a player's coach," James told me. "What I remembered most was a conversation I had with him on the train heading to the [US naval] base in [Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Prefecture]. He was telling me about how family is everything and how his life changed once he started having grandbabies.

"Jelly wanted me in Tokyo and I wanted to play for him. We spoke about that as often, but then laughed after it didn't happen. 

"Overall he was a good guy, he will be missed by many I'm sure of that." 

A Few Thoughts From This Columnist

For nearly 20 years, I stayed in touch with Joe Bryant at various times each year. As the longtime former chief basketball reporter at The Japan Times, Bryant was a valued contact, a knowledgeable source, for me. He also paid compliments in public, before and after practices and in press conferences to reporters.

Bryant was also a kind, thoughtful friend. Facebook and email provided regular means of communication, and every year ― he never forgot ―  the former Apache sideline supervisor posted a birthday message on my Facebook page. Two examples: "Happy Happy Birthday From Joe & Pam" and "Happy Happy Birthday From Coach Jelly & Pam."

Looking back at many of these messages, there was significance in the repetition ― happy happy.

After all, Joe Bryant brought happiness to a lot of people, on and off the basketball court.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.