sport news Kobe Bryant correctly predicted teammate Pau Gasol would have his jersey ... trends now
View
comments
The late Kobe Bryant predicted that Lakers teammate Pau Gasol's jersey would be hanging next to his own.
The Lakers retired Gasol's No. 16 jersey Tuesday night, honoring the genteel big man who spent the best seasons of his 18-year NBA career with Bryant in Los Angeles. The Lakers reached three straight NBA Finals after Gasol's arrival in February 2008, winning championships in 2009 and 2010.
Gasol and Bryant did it all together, and now as The Black Mamba, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in 2020, predicted, their numbers now hang side by side in the Lakers' arena.
In 2018, Bryant was asked during the Oscars about his opinion on Gasol getting his jersey number retired and without hesitation he claimed his teammate deserved to have it hanging in the rafters next to his own.
'There's no debate. Pau, when he retires, he will have his number in the rafters next to mine,' Bryant said.
The late Kobe Bryant predicted teammate Pau Gasol's jersey would be hanging next to his own
The Lakers retired Gasol's No. 16 jersey Tuesday night, honoring him during their game
'The reality is, I don't win those championships without Pau. The city of LA doesn't have those two championships without Pau. So, we know that. Everybody knows that.
'I'll be looking forward to the day when he's there giving me his speech at center court in front of all the fans who have supported him over the years. It's gonna be an awesome night.'
Gasol will be honored by the Lakers during halftime of their home game against the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night and
