Being in the Same Category as Lakers Legends Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Others Overwhelms 2X NBA Champion as Historic Night Approaches

‘The Redeem Team’ documentary showed the world how Kobe Bryant powered the US Basketball team to a gold medal. They were stunned by Argentina in the 2004 Olympics when they had to settle for a bronze. The ‘Redeem Team’ helped the USA regain the top spot by beating Spain in the 2008 Olympics final. The documentary also showed Spain’s Pau Gasol giving a tough fight in the final. Pau Gasol is a two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and his jersey is to be retired later this season.

Pau Gasol played seven seasons with the Lakers, winning two NBA championships in the process. The six-time NBA All-Star was an important cog in the wheel for the Lakers during the late 2000s, alongside his close friend Kobe Bryant. For his immense contributions to the Lakers franchise, they are set to retire his number 16 jersey.

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Pau Gasol will join an elite group of legends who have their jerseys hanging at the Crypto.com Arena. His number 16 jersey will be retired alongside the likes of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, among others. Gasol is humbled and excited about the historic night, set to happen next year.

The Spanish basketball legend recently sat down for an interview with Complex. During the interview, he discussed the 2008 Redeem Team and Spain’s final loss in Beijing. He also expressed his thoughts on the Lakers retiring his jersey.

Gasol is excited to see his name alongside Lakers greats such as Kobe Bryant

“It’s overwhelming. It’s hard for me to grasp and digest, it’s just overwhelming,” Gasol answered when asked what it meant to have his jersey retired alongside other Lakers legends.

Gasol continued: “It’s such a huge honor and recognition by the franchise towards me and what I was able to contribute to those championships, so I’m still processing, to be honest. I’m not really prepared for it, but I’m truly humbled and excited. I look forward to that moment, and I’m trying to picture it little by little.”

He added, “It’s very emotional too, everyday that goes by it’s just a little closer and it’s going to get a little more emotional for me, just to see my number, my name next to all of those greats that you mentioned that I don’t take for granted, I don’t take lightly. But also more importantly, next to Kobe’s No. 8 and No. 24.” 

After spending six years in LA, Gasol signed with the Chicago Bulls as a free agent. Two years later, he found himself in San Antonio, where he spent three seasons. He then signed with the Milwaukee Bucks after being released by the Spurs. Gasol returned to Spain in 2021 and signed with Barcelona. He retired from basketball in October 2021.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced that they will honor Gasol’s number 16 before their March 7 game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Gasol has been involved in various philanthropic activities post-retirement. He and his brother Marc Gasol established the Gasol Foundation in 2013. The foundation promotes healthy living habits and fights against obesity in children.

What is your favorite memory of Pau Gasol as a Laker? Let us know in the comments below.