Pau Gasol is a legend when it comes to the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. Overall, he was a player who helped propel Kobe Bryant to two more NBA titles. The Lakers were repeat champions from 2009 to 2010, and Gason was a huge part of that. Kobe and Pau were great friends up until the former's death in 2020. Kobe's passing hit Gasol hard, however, he made sure to always honor the Lakers legend whenever he got the chance.
That is exactly what happened on Tuesday night as Gasol was at the Crypto.com arena for a very special night. Gasol was having his number 16 retired by the franchise prior to a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Although fans were nervous about the outcome of the game, their anxiety was eased by an incredible pre-game ceremony. As you can see below, Gasol's jersey was raised to the rafters right next to Kobe's number 24.
Pau Gasol Speaks
Throughout his speech, Gasol made sure to speak about Kobe and his influence. Overall, you can tell just how much Pau misses his friend. Furthermore, he even mentioned Gigi who passed away at such an incredibly young age. "I can't go on without talking about the person and the face that I don't see, the brother that elevated me, inspired me, challenge me to be a better player, just to be a better man overall," Gasol said. "I miss him so much like many of us do, I love him. Wish he was here with Gigi. But I think he'll be proud, and he was looking forward to this moment. So, I love you, brother."
The emotional moment was subsequently followed up by a huge win from the Lakers. The purple and gold are now in ninth place in the Western Conference, which means they are in the play-in. This is a huge development for the team as they have struggled to crack a playoff spot, all season long. Let us know your thoughts on Gasol's incredible speech, down in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.
[Via]