Jeanie Buss the President of the $6.4 Billion worth Los Angeles Lakers franchise, recently sat down for an interview. She poured her heart out about the emotional night of Pau Gasol’s jersey retirement ceremony. And guess what? It wasn’t just about Gasol; the memory of the late, great Kobe Bryant had a big role to play too!

In order to actually understand the importance of Kobe and Pau in one another’s NBA careers, and more importantly in their lives, we need to cast our minds back to the beginning of ‘Kung Pow’s journey with the LA Franchise.

The impact of Kobe Bryant and the Lakers’ journey with Pau Gasol

Alright, let’s rewind to when Pau Gasol first made his grand entrance into the Los Angeles Lakers‘ world. The trade was kept under wraps like a top-secret mission within the organization. Jeanie’s old man, the Lakers’ head honcho, had some hush-hush talks with Michael Heisley, the Memphis Grizzlies owner. They cooked up a deal that had everyone curious.

But here’s the thing – Pau was gold for the Lakers! The dude was like a fish in water, perfectly fitting into their famous triangle offense. In just three days, he picked up the plays like a seasoned pro, leaving everyone’s jaws on the floor. As Jeanie shared, Pau was like a tailor-made puzzle piece. He and Kobe Bryant had some kind of magical chemistry.

Jeanie Buss shared the story in her interview with Sportskeeda. Five months ago, at the ceremony for retiring Pau’s jersey no. 16, Vanessa Bryant attended on Kobe’s behalf. On that emotional night, it meant the world to Pau and the Lakers franchise. Jeanie added, “I felt like Kobe was in the building. It was Pau’s moment to celebrate his career. But we all felt a little bit closer to Kobe. That was a nice feeling“. Kobe’s impact on the Lakers is undeniable. He owned the court for them on numerous occasions.

Pau Gasol: A Hall-of-Fame worthy legacy

Fast forward to Pau’s upcoming Hall-of-Fame induction. This isn’t just about his time with the Lakers; it’s a celebration of the man’s entire journey as a player and as a person. Pau was a trailblazing European player who made a name for himself in the NBA.

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His influence isn’t just limited to LA, the guy’s a world leader in his own right, and his impact reaches far and wide. Jeanie has respect for him, not just as a Lakers leader, but as a leader for the whole basketball world.

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Pau Gasol’s jersey retirement ceremony was one for the history books. Jeanie Buss got all choked up, and seeing Vanessa Bryant there made it feel like Kobe’s spirit was in the house too. The Lakers family felt the love, no doubt about it.