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The LA Lakers have decided to retire Spanish big man Pau Gasol's jersey number 16. The retirement ceremony is set to take place on March 7th, 2023, the same night the Lakers take on the Memphis Grizzlies. He was a pivotal part of the Lakers team that won two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010.
The Spaniard was a stellar two-way player. He had great footwork, and this often helped him get the better of his opponents in the paint.
Max Kellerman spoke about Pau Gasol's jersey retirement in the latest episode of ESPN's KJM show. He heaped high praise on the six-time All-Star and stated that he most definitely deserved to go into the rafters.
"Pau Gasol for a number of years was a top half dozen or so players in the league, like you could even maybe argue Top 5. There were even years when Dirk's shot, I get it guys like that, guys who put up the scoring numbers and who could be the lead dawg on championship team, you give him the nod of course.
"But Pau was like, it was no accident that Kobe the two he got and the three final trips he made without Shaq were with Pau."
Pau Gasol was already a star in the league when he made the move to the Lakers. However, he wasn't able to find any success in the playoffs. The Lakers already had Kobe Bryant, who was determined to prove that he could do it without Shaquille O'Neal.
This made the Purple and Gold an ideal destination for Gasol. Adding him to the team made them a force to be reckoned with in the West.
Bryant and Gasol clicked instantly and formed a great duo. Kobe was a player who could get going in no time. However, there were times when the defenses would double or sometimes even triple team him. These were the situations where he needed a dependable teammate and Pau Gasol proved to be exactly that for Bryant.
"There's a reason that the Lakers acquired that dude for Kobe, he was the perfect complimentary big for Kobe and a truly great player for a number of years and I think as the second best player by far on two championship teams, he deserves to have his number retired."
Prior to his untimely passing, Kobe Bryant had expressed how strongly he felt about the Lakers retiring Pau Gasol's jersey. Even after his retirement, the two shared a great bond. Pau called Kobe "Hermano," which means brother in Spanish. His jersey will be placed right next to his Hermano's number 24, which will further add joy to the occasion.
Pau Gasol was one of the best international players in the NBA
In the past few years, international players have made a huge name for themselves in the NBA. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam are all sensational talents to have emerged outside of America. However, prior to these players, there were some icons who showed the world that the NBA had a place for everyone.
One among them was Pau Gasol. Coming from Spain, Gasol had already won the Spanish League trophy and was named an MVP there. His brilliance in his home country helped him get drafted third by the Memphis Grizzlies. In his very first year, he created history by becoming the first foreign player to win the Rookie of the Year award.
Pau Gasol was one of the best players the Memphis Grizzlies have had in years. Prior to his arrival, the team had never made the playoffs. However, Gasol's brilliance helped them get to three appearances in the postseason. Although they never won a game there, he was responsible for starting something special in Memphis.
His success with the Lakers has been well-documented. He made several All-Star and All-NBA appearances with them before moving to the Chicago Bulls in 2014. Gasol played in the league for 18 years before once again moving back to Spain. The big man announced his official retirement in 2021.
His jersey retirement with the Lakers is certainly long overdue. Not only was he a sensational player, but Gasol proved to be the ideal teammate on two of their championship winning rosters.
Guess the Lakers players!
