Pau Gasol Pays Tribute To Kobe Bryant During Emotional Jersey Retirement Speech: Watch

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Celebrities At The Los Angeles Lakers Game
Pau Gasol speaks during his jersey retirement ceremony at halftime of a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena on March 07, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Pau Gasol's jersey was raised next to Kobe's.

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.

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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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