His soft touch, agility under the basket and unselfish play earned him widespread praise. But he wasn’t included among the NBA’s 75 Greatest Players, an omission that was widely considered a snub. Gasol, however, didn’t pay that much heed. “I don’t really care too much about lists,” he said. “I think, to a certain degree, they’re very subjective. I’m really happy about how I played through my NBA career and the impact that I’ve had on my teams and teammates, and that’s what I care about. Lists, at the end of the day, are to create maybe a little controversy or a little talk here and there, and that’s OK. That’s part of the sport, and that’s how it should be. So I’m not offended by any means. And if I would’ve been on the list, I wouldn’t think that I’m better than some of the many other great players that are not on the list.”
Source: FOX Sports @ FoxSports.com
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Here’s @Pau Gasol on what he and Kobe taught each other: pic.twitter.com/FK39gOmU0e – 8:10 PM
Here’s @Pau Gasol on what he and Kobe taught each other: pic.twitter.com/FK39gOmU0e – 8:10 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
Here’s my story from my chat today with Pau Gasol on his relationship with Kobe, how he felt about being left off the 75 Greatest Players List, why he wanted to play in the Olympics and how emotional retirement was for him.
foxsports.com/stories/nba/pa… – 8:08 PM
Here’s my story from my chat today with Pau Gasol on his relationship with Kobe, how he felt about being left off the 75 Greatest Players List, why he wanted to play in the Olympics and how emotional retirement was for him.
foxsports.com/stories/nba/pa… – 8:08 PM
Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
I chatted with @Pau Gasol today about many things, including whether he thought he should’ve been on the NBA’s 75 Greatest Players list. pic.twitter.com/YJ0PIAPwRv – 8:04 PM
I chatted with @Pau Gasol today about many things, including whether he thought he should’ve been on the NBA’s 75 Greatest Players list. pic.twitter.com/YJ0PIAPwRv – 8:04 PM
Howard Beck @HowardBeck
Coming tomorrow on the Crossover: the legend @Pau Gasol. pic.twitter.com/yfw9ZexYJg – 7:54 PM
Coming tomorrow on the Crossover: the legend @Pau Gasol. pic.twitter.com/yfw9ZexYJg – 7:54 PM
Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Pau Gasol: “It took me a long time to sleep well after Kobe died. There was a lot of crying and a lot of pain”
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/12… – 7:44 PM
Pau Gasol: “It took me a long time to sleep well after Kobe died. There was a lot of crying and a lot of pain”
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/12… – 7:44 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Getting a sneak peek at Pau Gasol’s docuseries tonight – Pau Gasol: It’s About the Journey – before I speak to the 2x champ in the morning. Interesting look behind the scenes with the Lakers legend. You’ll need some tissues for the first episode. Hits Amazon Prime on Nov. 12. – 12:19 AM
Getting a sneak peek at Pau Gasol’s docuseries tonight – Pau Gasol: It’s About the Journey – before I speak to the 2x champ in the morning. Interesting look behind the scenes with the Lakers legend. You’ll need some tissues for the first episode. Hits Amazon Prime on Nov. 12. – 12:19 AM
More on this storyline
Klay Thompson has every right to complain about his NBA Top 75 team snub … so says his former teammate Festus Ezeli, who tells TMZ Sports he can’t believe the Warriors star didn’t make the cut. “Klay’s one of the best of all-time,” the ex-Golden State center said … “He’s one of the greatest of all-time. Of course [he deserved to be on the list]. He’s the best shooter!” -via TMZ.com / October 31, 2021
You were snubbed on the 50th-anniversary list. Were you optimistic about the 75th? Alex English: I was thinking that maybe people realized it was a mistake not having me on the 50th-anniversary list. I felt I should have been on that one. But I was even more hurt this time because they added 25 more players. They could have kept all 50 of the original names but added me. They added Dominique Wilkins and Bob McAdoo who were scorers as well. So what reason was I not included? Is it because Dominique was a great dunker? I feel that he belongs there as well. So does McAdoo. They were great. But my body of work was just as good. What I did during the era I played, no one scored as many points. Every year, we were in the playoffs. It was just disappointing. -via HoopsHype / October 27, 2021
How did you find out you were not included on the NBA’s 75th-anniversary list? Alex English: The television broadcast. That stung. At the same time, I was getting calls from the league to be measured for something. I thought maybe I was on that list. I would have assumed. But I guess that’s not what I was being measured for. It just stings. I know what I did. I know the work that I put in. When I look at who they have on that list, and you tell me I shouldn’t be included, I don’t like that. I think the way they did it was a little flawed. I will get over it. Like I said in my tweet, I congratulate thepeople who got selected. -via HoopsHype / October 27, 2021