NBA players can be classified into different types depending on their playing style, personality, and competitive edge. However, there is one group that surpasses all of the above and is reserved for only two players – Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. It is the hunger to win at any cost. Kobe Bryant would fail to even spare his teammates from punishment when it came to winning. In 2016, eight years after beating Spain in the Olympics, Bryant shared an incident involving Pau Gasol in the Los Angeles Lakers locker room.
Advertisement
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the USA beat Spain in the Men’s Basketball Finals to win the gold medal. At that time, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol were teammates in the NBA and had a great relationship. However, the Mamba decided to send him a message by running through his chest in the first play of the game. The move, not only shocked his USA teammates but set the tone for the rest of the game. You can take a look at it in the YouTube clip by ‘NBA Network‘ below.
Kobe Bryant mocked Pau Gasol to get him motivated
In 2008, the Boston Celtics beat the Lakers in the NBA Finals to win the championship. The Lakers squad contained Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, who were set to compete in the Summer Olympics just a few months after the loss. As things would go, Pau Gasol would suffer another Finals loss at the hands of his NBA teammate.
After the Olympics, the stars regrouped at the Lakers training camp to prepare for the upcoming season. On the first day of the training camp, Kobe decided to prank his Spanish teammate while motivating him by not making it three losses in the year. In an interview with Lewis Howes, the former Lakers superstar narrated the story. Here is what he said, as seen in the YouTube clip by Steve Hogue.
“Pau shows up first day at the training camp and I have my gold medal hanging in his locker. The one thing he truly loves is his country. That is like everything to him. So, it just drove him crazy. I said listen Pau listen – You lost to the Celtics, you lost to us in the gold medal match. Let’s not make it three in a row this year!”
Those were some mean words from Kobe, who was known to be tough on his teammates if they were not focused. And as he likely hoped, the trick worked as the two superstars won the NBA championship in 2009. The incident showed Kobe’s competitive edge and his desire to do everything possible to achieve victory.
Pau Gasol’s Relationship with Kobe Bryant
Despite the incidents narrated above, Gasol was the closest relationship Kobe formed in the league. They were like brothers. The two players achieved a lot of success together in the NBA. This included two championships for the Los Angeles franchise. The achievements further strengthened the bond between the stars.
In fact, the Lakers legend decided to name the Spanish player as the godfather to his children. After the tragic incident, Pau was there to comfort Vanessa Bryant and the four children, who have become a part of his extended family. Gasol continues to be close to the family even after his friend’s untimely demise.
