Pau Gasol speaks to Lakers crowd during jersey unveiling. Photo by Gabriel Gomez.
By Gabriel Gomez, Art Director
The Los Angeles Lakers retired Pau Gasol’s No. 16 jersey, honoring the big man who spent the majority of seasons of his 18-year NBA career (2001-2019) with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles (2008-2014). The Lakers reached three straight NBA Finals after Gasol’s arrival in 2008, winning back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010.
Gasol was the perfect complementary player to Bryant and was paid the best compliment possible by his former team. When Gasol joined the LA Lakers just over 15 years ago, the Spaniard had no ego, doubled down on his work ethic and immediately turned the team into title contenders who eventually became champions.
Gasol and Kobe Bryant did it all together, and their numbers now hang side by side in the Lakers’ home. Gasol chose Mar. 7 for his Lakers jersey retirement for a reason: He played his first seven NBA seasons with the Grizzlies, his first team after he moved to the states in 2001.
It was a full-circle night for Gasol. His younger brother Marc, who was part of the trade going the opposite direction from Los Angeles to Memphis, was in attendance. The arena was littered with stars who just wanted to appreciate Gasol and his legacy. Big names including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, Sasha Vujacic, Metta Sandiford-Artest, Jordan Farmar, Josh Powell, James Worthy, longtime trainer Gary Vitti and Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, who played with Gasol on the Chicago Bulls.
The celebratory night of festivities surrounding the game was full of emotional videos of the Lakers’ past moments that would’ve been impossible without Gasol’s presence alongside Bryant.
“There’s no debate,” Bryant said in a video. “Pau, when he retires, he will have his number in the rafters next to mine. The reality is, I don’t win those championships without Pau. The city of L.A. doesn’t have those two championships without Pau. We know that. Everybody knows that.”
After helping the Lakers win a pair of championships, the curtain dropped at halftime on Pau Gasol’s No. 16. Fittingly, it will live directly on the right of Kobe Bryant’s No. 24.
As he watched the unveiling, Gasol shook his head and wiped tears from his eyes. “To the city of L.A., to Lakers nation, I love you, I love you deeply,” Gasol said from midcourt. “I love you forever, thank you for making me feel so special, it’s been an honor, it truly has. Muchas gracias.”
He continued his speech by honoring his late teammate. Gasol touched on Kobe and how much his former teammate and friend meant to him.
“I can’t go on without talking about the person and the face that I don’t see,” Gasol said. “The brother that elevated me, challenged me, inspired me to be a better player. Just to be a better man overall.”
He paused and smiled as a “Ko-be! Ko-be! Ko-be!” chant consumed the entire arena.
Gasol was the 12th player in franchise history to have his number honored, joining a long line of legendary big men from George Mikan to Wilt Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar to Shaquille O’Neal.
“To those who much is given, much is expected, and I’ll continue to commit my life to impacting others, to making a difference, on inspiring, to helping others, to making this world a healthier and better place,” Gasol said. ” I love you all.”
The Spaniard played seven seasons in Los Angeles, averaging 17.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the field across 429 games. During his tenure in LA, he earned three All-Star selections, one All-NBA Second Team selection, and two All-NBA Third Team selections. Gasol is now forever cemented in the Lakers’ history.
