Lakers legend Pau Gasol elected to Basketball Hall of Fame, report says
Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers waves to applause holding daughter Elisabet Gianna, before his jersey retirement ceremony at halftime in the game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers.
LOS ANGELES - Weeks after reaching Crypto.com Arena immortality, Los Angeles Lakers legend Pau Gasol is on the verge of reaching basketball immortality.
According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Gasol is expected to be elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame along with other hoops icons like Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Becky Hammon and Gregg Popovich.
The report comes just weeks after the Lakers held a jersey number retirement ceremony for Spanish 7-footer. The ceremony, held in early March, took an emotional turn for both the Gasol family and Laker Nation as Gasol's number, 16, was displayed in the rafters next to his longtime teammate and close friend Kobe Bryant's No. 24.
Gasol, who played 18 seasons in the NBA, had his best seasons as a pro in Purple and Gold. Playing alongside Bryant, Gasol was named an NBA All-Star three times as a Laker and the duo won two NBA championships together.
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The duo not only became close friends off the court, but their families have maintained a close bond even through the 2020 helicopter crash that killed Kobe and Gianna Bryant. The closeness of the two families became evident when Gasol thanked Bryant's wife Vanessa during his number retirement speech.
"Love you, sister. I’m proud to be your brother, and proud to be an uncle to your girls," Gasol said earlier in the month.
In addition to six total NBA All-Star trips, Gasol was named the league's Rookie of the Year in 2002, medaled three times in the Summer Olympics and made the cut in the All-NBA second team twice (2010-2011 and 2014-2015) and All-NBA third team twice (2008-2009 and 2009-2010).