Cameron Brink Praises Pau Gasol, Honoring the Legend’s 18-Year NBA Journey

Pau Gasol’s illustrious NBA career spanned 2 decades and has left an everlasting mark on the sport. His career stats include 6 All-Star appearance and 4 All-NBA Team selections as he graced the court as both a power forward and a center, notching 2 NBA championships alongside Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Regarded as one of the greatest modern bigs, Gasol’s basketball finesse and court vision set him apart. The Spaniard has been extending his legacy beyond the hardwood too and inspiring future generations of athletes like Cameron Brink, who is praising her best free throw coach as he relives a lifetime honor.

Cameron Brink honoring the NBA legend 1 year after his big day

In her recent Instagram stories, Cameron Brink is seen having a proud moment as she shared a picture of 2x NBA champion and Lakers legend Pau Gasol’s picture from his jersey retirement ceremony. On March 7th, 2023, the franchise honored Gasol’s illustrious stint with the team and Kobe Bryant, by retiring his No. 16 jersey at the Crypto.com Arena.

After Brink & Co. beat Duke last year, the 3x Pac-12’s Player of the Year was seen sharing a moment with the Spanish NBA legend. Cameron Brink’s father shared a story where Pau Gasol was hugging and congratulating the female hooper, with the caption dubbing Gasol “the best free throw coach.”

So, of course, one year after her “coach” had his jersey retired by the most winning NBA franchise, Cameron Brink had to show her support on her Instagram stories. Notably, the Lakers being the 17-time NBA champion franchise usually retires the number of only those players who are present in the Hall of Fame, making Gasol a first-time finalist to receive the honor with a strong chance to make it to the Hall of Fame this year.

Significance of Paul Gasol’s jersey commemoration

The ceremony transformed into a heart-touching affair when it began with Vanessa Bryant’s introducing a video in which Kobe said that he was looking forward to the day when Gasol gave a speech standing at the center court during his jersey retirement.

Astonished by Kobe’s resonating words, Gasol wiped his tears and said, “It’s been my honor to wear this jersey, to play for this franchise, and to help this team. … I would have never in a million years believed a day like this could come. It just tells you to never say never. Just push yourself every day to be the best that you can be.”

Notably, his partnership with Kobe Bryant played a pivotal role in these victories, which is why the ceremony was extremely emotional for him. However, their friendship extended beyond the court, and it still holds a lot of strength, evident from Gasol’s special acknowledgment of Vanessa Bryant. During his speech, Pau Gasol added, “Love you, sister. I’m proud to be your brother and proud to be an uncle to your girls.”

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