Pau Gasol Honors Kobe Bryant With Moving Hall of Fame Speech

• Pau Gasol honoured his former teammate and friend, Kobe Bryant in his Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech
• The Spaniard credited Bryant for playing a key role in his basketball career
• Bryant and Gasol won the 2009 and 2010 NBA championships with the Los Angles Lakers

On an emotional weekend, Pau Gasol was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame alongside some NBA greats, Dwyane Wade, Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki, and Gregg Popovich.

Gasol took a moment in his induction speech to pay tribute to his former teammate and friend, Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away in January 2020.

The 7-foot Spaniard joined the LA Lakers in 2008 following a trade that sent his brother Marc to the Memphis Grizzlies. Gason retired as a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA.

He averaged 17 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in his 18-year career. He retired in 2021. He became the 12th Lakers player to have his jersey retired, which happened in March 2023. The Lakers went to three straight finals after Gasol arrived, winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.

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He was the second Spaniard to play in the NBA and the first to play in the Finals, per ESPN.

Gasol honours Bryant

It was an emotional night for Gasol as he recalled memories with Bryant. Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, and Lakers general manager, Rob Pelinka were present at the ceremony.

"He made sure that right away, firsthand, I got the message," Gasol said of Bryant during his induction speech. "He said, 'Welcome to the team. I'm happy you're here. Now let's go win a championship together.' I said, 'Alright I'm in, man. I'm in. Have a good night.' That was it...Straight to the chase," he said, via CBS Sports.

"I wouldn't be here without you, brother. I wish more than anything that you and Gigi were here today with us. I miss you and love you."

Vanessa Bryant was also present during Gasol's jersey retirement and has shared a close relationship with the Spaniard since Kobe died in a helicopter crash in 2020.

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Bryant's murals continue to inspire

On January 26, the basketball world mourned the third anniversary of Bryant's untimely demise. He died with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash in 2020.

Since his tragic death, the basketball icon has been honoured worldwide. Murals of Bryant and Gianna were painted on streets and courts to eternalize them both.

Even in death, his influence still endures. From LA to the Philippines, artists worldwide have painted murals of Bryant and Gianna to honour them, as Sports Brief reported.