Pau Gasol retires from basketball; Lakers to retire No. 16 jersey

The Los Angeles Lakers will retire Pau Gasol’s No. 16 jersey after the star announced his retirement from basketball.

Pau Gasol announced his retirement from basketball, he said during a press conference Tuesday.

The 41-year-old big man played in the NBA from 2001 to 2018, but his resume expanded in overseas leagues.

After last playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018, Gasol eventually moved on and played for FC Barcelona in Spain, where he recently won a championship.

He spent a chunk of his prime years with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2007 to 2012. He helped the team to two titles in 2009 and 2010, made multiple All-Star appearances in the purple and gold and got All-NBA Team nods, among other accolades.

Because of his contributions to the team, the Lakers are planning to retire his No. 16 jersey (h/t: Shams Charania of The Athletic):

Gasol is a revered player and human for the Lakers’ fanbase, so his retirement will definitely be an emotional day.

[vertical-gallery id=40179]

[mm-video type=video id=01fgt7g47t7ga0tkw05q playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fgt7g47t7ga0tkw05q/01fgt7g47t7ga0tkw05q-94b5d77f7d514f0c0331f799669a4325.jpg]