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Pau Gasol, the former Lakers greats who bonded with Kobe Bryant on and off the court, has retired from professional basketball.
Gasol, 41, announced the decision Tuesday at a press conference broadcast on his Twitter page. The Lakers have announced they will be removing his No.16 uniform.
He played 18 seasons in the NBA, including seven with the Lakers when he won two NBA championships. The team acquired Gasol in a Memphis trade, sacking a set of players that included his younger brother, Marc, who went on to become one of the best centers in the NBA.
The deal brought Bryant’s second act with the Lakers to life, pushing the team into an immediate fight and NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. At the mention of Bryant’s name on Tuesday in his announcement, Gasol struggled to speak as he was briefly overcome with emotion.
“It’s a tough decision after so many years,” Gasol said of retirement at the press conference, “but it’s a decision I’ve really thought about.”
In his time with the Lakers, Gasol averaged 17.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 blocks. During his career, he was six times All-Star and four times All-NBA. He was the 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year, the first non-American to win the honor.
Gasol’s connection with Bryant was immediate. The Lakers Hall of Famer recalled in 2016 their compatibility as players.
“Pau is one of the best post players of all time,” said Bryant at the time, describing a play that allowed him and coach Phil Jackson to know the trade would be. a success. “He caught the ball and finished it – I went back to the bench and said, ‘Yeah, Phil, we’ve got a big one that can catch and finish. We’re going to the final! ‘
“I have a guy that I can really plot with, the rest of the guys can kind of line up with that.” His intelligence made him the most dangerous.
In addition to the Grizzlies and Lakers, Gasol has played for Chicago, San Antonio and Milwaukee. He last competed in the NBA on March 10, 2019. A stress fracture in his left foot derailed his NBA career.
Gasol recovered from his injuries to compete abroad last season, culminating with another appearance for the Spanish national team at the Tokyo Olympics. While his impact on the court had seriously diminished, his mere presence was enough.
“I worked hard to do it. And I felt like it was worth it, that the risk was worth it. And I felt I deserved to finish at this point, ”Gasol said in Tokyo. “I like to do amazing things, you know? And I felt like it was something worth working for and fighting for. “
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