Its been months to Kobe Bryant’s death, Kobe and Pau Gasol were not just incredible teammates during their stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. Off the court, they shared a great bond as well.
Now, Gasol has demonstrated his unbreakable bond with the Lakers great through his heartwarming gesture for Kobe’s kids.
Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant’s friendship started when the Spaniard was sent to the Lakers via trade in February 2008. Analysts tagged it as the “Pau Gasol donation” since the Purple and Gold sent a bunch of aging players and several draft picks for a top-caliber player.
Vanessa Bryant posted several photos of Gasol hanging out with the Kobe’s children, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri. Peep the photos below as culled by Sports Center.
Pau Gasol spending time with Kobe's daughters is so heartwarming.
(via vanessabryant/Instagram) pic.twitter.com/bzuOjx0vjQ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 7, 2020
This moment is made extra special by the fact that it’s Gasol’s birthday, and he chose to spend it with the kids of his friend and brother for life.
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Gasol shared his love for the Bryant family. On Gigi’s birthday in May, the two-time champion sent a cake to Vanessa and the Bryant family.
The Spaniard also showed off his Gigi bracelet to honor the late Mambacita herself.
Happy birthday Gigi! ❤️ #Mambacita5106
Missing you an extra lot today. 🙏🏽#PlayGigisWay #LeadwithKindness pic.twitter.com/HhlgYDPnj5— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) May 2, 2020
The following season — Gasol’s first full year with the Lakers — the LA franchise won the 2009 title in convincing fashion over the Orlando Magic. This confirmed Gasol’s stature as an elite big man in the league, contrary to earlier criticisms of him being soft. This also gave Bryant his fourth title, hushing the critics who said that he can’t win without Shaquille O’Neal by his side.
The Gasol-Bryant duo exceeded expectations when they won another title in 2010 — this time over the Boston Celtics. Not only did it signify retribution, but analysts entertained the thought of the Kobe-Pau duo as one of the best in league history.
Helene Elliott is the senior reporter for News Raise. She covers Science news. She also has a keen interest in photojournalism. Helene holds a nomination for the prestigious Red Smith Award. She is married to author Dennis D’Agostino, a former publicist with the New York Mets.