On Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Los Angeles Lakers will retire Pau Gasol’s No. 16 jersey.
It has been a long time coming, but he will finally be fully recognized for being a player who forever changed their fortunes.
When they traded for him on February 1, 2008, they were in a tailspin that had lasted ever since Shaquille O’Neal left in July 2004. Although they had started the 2007-08 season 26-11, they perhaps were a step short of being a true championship contender.
Center Andrew Bynum suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-January, and L.A. struggled without him, meaning there was a very real possibility it would miss the playoffs for the second time since O’Neal’s departure.
On top of that, there was Kobe Bryant’s trade demand, which he hadn’t rescinded since making the previous summer.
But Gasol’s arrival was a watershed moment for him and the Lakers, as they instantly became a juggernaut. They struggled to score around 100 points a game without Bynum, but with the Spaniard on board, they sprouted to approximately 110 a game, which was a ton back in those days.
The Lakers instantly reached the NBA Finals three straight times while winning back-to-back world championships, including one over the hated Boston Celtics.
Yet, many Lakers fans incessantly dogged Gasol throughout his tenure with the team.