As much as Pau Gasol has accepted Kobe Bryant‘s family, he has quite a unit of his own. The 2x NBA champ’s family currently includes his two children — Max and Elisabet — and the former LA Lakers star announced the arrival of a third on July 29, 2024. The glue of this family, though? Gasol’s wife, Catherine McDonnell. Notably, not only has McDonnell been the nucleus of this family, but also an equal bearer of her husband’s promise to the Black Mamba.

The 5x NBA champ had once told Gasol to send his son to him so that Bryant could teach him things like “how to be tough, to fight…” and Kobe wanted to send his daughters to Gasol so they learn things like “culture, awareness”. Even with the Black Mamba gone, the Spaniard kept his end of the promise. While he made the Bryant family kind of his own, Cat has been an equally supportive part of this. So let’s know more about the woman who stuck through thick and thin with Gasol.

A closer look at Pau Gasol and Catherine McDonnell’s relationship

The 7’1″ player from Spain made his relationship with Cat public with an announcement in 2016. But no official date as to when the two started dating is available. However, in one of her pregnancy posts in 2020, McDonnell mentioned the two had been dating for five years. So it can be assumed that the couple has been together since at least 2015. The relationship became official after their 2016 engagement, followed by a public marriage ceremony in July 2019.

But it seems the couple wanted to recreate the moment with a more intimate feel, as the two held another private ceremony after a week in Northeastern Spain’s Ampurdan area.“Our dream goes on!… Yesterday we celebrated our wedding in my country, and I just can say I´m the luckiest guy in the world! Thanks, family and friends, for being the best company on our trip. I love you, Cath,” the former Lakers star wrote of the wedding.

Pau Gasol announced having his first child just after one year of marriage and his second child in 2022. They have been one happy family since then, while McDonnell also retained her individuality. Apart from having a notable career of her own, she also enjoys a significant following on Instagram. A platform she has time and again used for public acknowledgment and admiration of her husband.

“We love you SO much Papa Pau… You are our center, you make us feel safe, you make us laugh, “papa is so strong”, and we couldn’t be happier to have you as the leader of our little wolf pack!” she wrote on Gasol’s 43rd birthday IG post. This is one of the many instances of other dedicated appreciation posts on occasions like birthdays and Father’s Day. And the same is reciprocated by Pau Gasol on similar special occasions.

More about Catherine McDonnell

As stated earlier, despite giving all the time in the world to her family, Cat maintained a sense of individuality. This seems to have been aided by her high qualifications — a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Business, and a Master’s degree in the same field from USC. However, her post as Director of Communications for Tess Research Foundation in 2024 has been a journey of nearly three and a half decades since her birth in May 1989.

Following her education, the first step in this direction was her public relations stint for Singer Associates Public Relations and Public Affairs in 2007. But from her career trajectory, it seems McDonnell was never the one to content herself with the monotony of one line of work. Her job in sales and marketing for Showtime Networks Inc. followed by a sports broadcasting reporter for ABC News, is a testament to this. There came multiple other job roles as well, like a project manager and vice president in different organizations.

This continued until McDonnell found her place in the Directorial position at Tess Research Foundation. As per the information available on the website, the org “was founded to improve the lives of those affected by SLC13A5 Epilepsy.” Through these multiple stints throughout her career, she reportedly made her net worth over a million dollars. And this is independent of her husband, Pau Gasol’s net worth of $120 million.

Now, despite her big job and schedule, McDonnell makes time, not just for her family, but for the Bryant family as well. She has been spotted on numerous occasions with Vanessa and her daughters, aiding her husband in fulfilling his one promise to his late friend, Kobe Bryant. Meanwhile, the Bryant family has also reciprocated a similar affection towards her on multiple occasions.

Stay tuned for more such updates. Join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.