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On Saturday, former Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol earned the ultimate athletic honor when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The day before, the festivities began with the big man receiving his Hall of Fame jacket.
It was the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. Gasol endured some frustrating early years with the Memphis Grizzlies before being traded to the Lakers, and that trade ended up saving both parties.
Gasol instantly made the Lakers championship contenders, and he developed a chemistry and bond with Kobe Bryant that has stood the test of time.
Even three years after Bryant’s tragic death, the Spaniard still has a special place in his heart for the legendary guard. His Hall of Fame jacket featured pictures that honored the memory of the Black Mamba.
Pau Gasol’s Hall of Fame jacket with tributes to Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/5bDiyoeqCU
— Kobe Highlights & Motivation (@kobehighlight) August 12, 2023
Together, Gasol and Bryant reached the NBA Finals in each of their first three seasons together and captured back-to-back world championships in 2009 and 2010.