Luka Doncic getting traded to the Lakers wasn’t the first time a franchise-altering trade was made for the Lakers. In 2008, they acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies, a move that would partner the dominant Spaniard with the Lakers’ own powerhouse superstar, Kobe Bryant. The matchup ended up going down in history.
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Not only did they win 2 championships together, but singlehandedly kept the Celtics from dominating the league. Their long battles ended up in a long and meaningful friendship, and Gasol is even the godfather of Kobe’s oldest daughter, Natalia Bryant. But their bond started off with a typical Black Mamba move.
The Spanish legend was asked about his first fateful meeting with the Black Mamba on a recent edition of NBA Radio. Gasol referred to that early interaction as “critical.”
He explained that when the leader of a new team welcomes you, they “show you the way and set the tone.” That’s exactly what Bryant prepared to do for Gasol on that night, regardless of what time it was.
Gasol revealed he reached his hotel in LA really late but that didn’t matter to the Mamba. Bryant felt it was super important to connect with Gasol as soon as possible and reached his newest teammate’s room at 1 am.
The Hall of Famer added that Kobe didn’t dance around the issue, and let him know that they were immediately aiming for greatness. “He still wanted to come see me and made sure I knew right out of the gate that he was very happy to have me, but our goal was to win a championship.”
“And right away. It wasn’t like ‘let’s try and ease into it or let’s try and make the playoffs.’ No no. ‘Let’s go win a ring together. Right here right now,'” Gasol recalled.
Some fans consider the Gasol trade a fleece by the Lakers. The Grizzlies GM at the time was the legendary Jerry West (what team was he famously associated with again?).
He gave up Gasol and a 2nd round pick for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, Gasol’s draft right, and the Lakers’ first-round picks in 2008 and 2010. The Grizzlies did make a few playoff runs in that time, but in the long run? Safe to say who won that trade.
Gasol and Bryant were an instant recipe of success for the Lakers. Under their guidance they would make three straight NBA Finals appearances, and bring home back-to-back championships in 2008 and 2009.
But the team was only as strong as the bond of the players on the court, and Kobe and Gasol’s bond was one of everlasting friendship.
Gasol admitted to feeling “true emotions” for Kobe after they both retired
When the Mamba tragically passed in 2020, it hit the basketball world hard, none harder than Gasol. He opened up about the love he had for Kobe during a chat with the NBA in 2023. It was there he mentioned how strong their relationship was, even after both retired from the sport they gave their lives to.
“It even increased when we stopped playing. You had the competition, the teammates, the grind, all that was not happening once I left the Lakers and once he retired. And now we saw the truth, the true emotions, the genuine care and love for each other. That was us,” the six-time All-Star stated.
On the court, Gasol and Bryant were a perfect 1-2 combo. The Mamba’s aggressive scoring ability paired extraordinarily well with Gasol’s inside presence and ability to stretch the floor. But off the court speaks to something much more important than basketball, and is a sincere reminder to enjoy it all while we can.
