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“That’s how I deal with it.”: Pau Gasol on How he Chooses to Remember Kobe Bryant Ahead of his Jersey Retirement

Jeet Pukhrambam
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"That's how I deal with it.": Pau Gasol on How he Chooses to Remember Kobe Bryant Ahead of his Jersey Retirement

As Pau Gasol celebrates the retirement of his Jersey with the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the key topics of discussion was his relationship with Kobe Bryant. As we all know by now, the two saw each other as brothers. “Hermanos” as Bryant often said.

And since it has been 3 years since Kobe’s untimely demise, Pau was asked how he deals with it. His answer was not wistful. On a day when his own legacy will be celebrated, he didn’t want to be reminded of his close friend’s absence.

Bryant had often said that Gasol’s jersey should be retried next to his and that he would be there. His absence will weigh heavy on the Spaniard’s heart. However, that didn’t deter him from giving a very poignant answer.

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There’s nothing I can do about it, other than love his family. That’s how I deal with it.”: Pau Gasol’s answer on Kobe Bryant

When asked about him, Pau had this to say, “I miss him a lot. There’s nothing I can do about it, other than love his family. That’s how I deal with it.”. 

There was a lot more from Pau on the topic. He talked about inspiration, why Bryant’s demand for excellence led them to 3 straight finals appearances, and how he helped him reach greatness.

Watch the clip below for more from Gasol.

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Pau Gasol is getting jersey no. 16 retired

For Pau, tonight is a big night. Perhaps among the most important nights of his life. He will be honored for bringing 2 championships to the city of Los Angeles.

His jersey no.16 will be retired tonight. Pau Gasol’s no. 16 will hang on the rafters. The ceremony takes place during half-time of the Lakers-Grizzlies game. With no LeBron James and Ja Morant, this will be something that should take up all the headlines.

Also read: “Magic Johnson was Being Selfish”: When Charles Barkley Protested Lakers Legend’s All-Star Appearance for HIV Awareness

About the author

Jeet Pukhrambam

Jeet Pukhrambam

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Jeet Pukhrambam is The SportsRush's Lead Editor for Basketball. After freelancing for five years as an independent writer, Jeet created thousands of blog posts and articles. He now covers intriguing news reports and throwback stories on all things NBA. His interest in NBA started with the ascendancy of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2016-17 season. Since then, Jeet has managed to coalesce his knowledge of the game and his writing to create pieces that are reflective of the current state of the league. Now, he ensures that The SportsRush produces the highest quality of writing. In his free time, he enjoys playing football, cooking, traveling, and dancing to techno. Jeet takes pride in his critical thinking, music playlists, and his love for spaghetti.

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