The Los Angeles Lakers will retire the number 16 of the Spaniard Pau Gasol

Spain's Pau Gasol, a finalist among the candidates for induction into the US Basketball Hall of Fame this year, received another major honor during last night's match between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The Los Angeles Lakers retired the number 16 team that the Spaniard wore. Gasol, now 42, a former center for both teams during his NBA career, was honored in a halftime ceremony that ended in a 112-103 victory for the Lakers.

The event was attended by prominent members of the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as the wife of Kobe Bryant, who died in 2020 - Vanessa Bryant. It was Bryant's widow's first appearance at her husband's memorial service in February 2020.

Gasol and Kobe Bryant were teammates on the Lakers and won the NBA title together in 2009 and 2010. Pau Gasol's No. 16 jersey was displayed in the hall, alongside Bryant's No. 8 and No. 24. “I miss him terribly, and so do a lot of us. I love him and wish he was here with his daughter Gianna.

I really want to. I think he would have been proud," said the Spaniard about Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol spent six and a half seasons with both the Grizzlies and Lakers. The six-time All-Star played two and a half seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, two with the Chicago Bulls and finished his NBA career with a brief stint with the Milwaukee Bucks.

He won the Rookie of the Year award with Memphis in 2002 when he averaged 17.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. For his entire career, the Spaniard averaged 17 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 1,226 games, including 1,150 as a starter.

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