Pau Gasol pays tribute to Kobe Bryant before retiring with the Lakers
The late Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant played with the Los Angeles Lakers for seven seasons, winning consecutive titles in the process.
The two shared a relationship on and off court. Almost immediately after Gasol joined Kobe in Los Angeles midway through the 2007-08 season, this relationship extended to Bryant's family.
It's also what makes Tuesday night so bittersweet for the six-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer.
Gasol was gearing up for retirement as the Lakers hosted one of his former teams at the Memphis Grizzlies in Southern California. It comes more than three years after Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, were among those killed in a helicopter crash in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas.
When talking about this before retiring from digital shorts, Gasol paid tribute to Bryant. He was also quite emotional from the podium.
"I miss him so much. I can't help but love his family. That's how I deal with it," Pau Gasol said of the loss of Kobe Bryant.
Gasol and Bryant's widow, Vanessa, have remained close since the Lakers' all-time greats died just over three years ago. Vanessa even honored Gasol with an introduction on Tuesday night.
During the NBA All-Star game in February, he was presented with the Kobe and Gigi Bryant WNBA Campaign Award by Vanessa.
Pau Gasol talks about life after Kobe Bryant
There's definitely a lot of emotion here. After Gasol's jersey numbers go up to the rafters inside Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night, the real moment will come.
“Just try to absorb it bit by bit, digest it and understand that my shirt number, my number will be there along with the great players and the names in our game history. And obviously being next to Kobe, seeing his name, is still emotional,” Gasol said.
Gasol had more words on his relationship with Kobe Bryant, his retirement, and more.
Gasol and Bryant won their first championship together in 2008-09 after defeating the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals.
Los Angeles then repeated the following season through a seven-game series victory over the Boston Celtics in the Finals. It is still considered one of the better Finals in NBA history. Bryant and Gasol combined to average 47.2 points, 19.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists in that streak.
Now, less than a decade later, Gasol will be honored alongside Kobe Bryant. But just like when the late great NBA legend was honored in the Basketball Hall of Fame, it will come with a gloomy backdrop.
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