BarcelonaImpossible not to get excited. The Lakers took advantage of the half of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies to retire the shirt of Pau Gasol, the best Catalan player in history. “It’s an incredible honor. You don’t know what it means to me. Wearing this shirt has been an honor,” said Gasol, who couldn’t hold back the tears.
The Catalan has remembered Kobe Bryant, his former teammate who died in a helicopter accident. “I can’t go on without talking about a person who’s not here. A brother who lifted me up, who pushed me to be a better player, a better person. I miss him so much like you all. I wanted him, I wish he was here, he would be proud. I miss him a lot,” he said as the crowd chanted his name. The Los Angeles franchise has hung the legendary number 16 from the ceiling of the Crypto.com Arena next to Kobe Bryant’s jerseys (8 and 24). Vanessa Bryant, the ex-player’s widow, was in charge of introducing the ceremony with an emotional video.
Gasol, who made his speech in English, used Catalan to thank his family. “I love you with all my heart,” he let go. In addition, the ex-player has also said a phrase in Spanish to address the Hispanic community. “Thanks to the Lakers family for making me better and helping me achieve all this,” he explained. In addition, he remembered everyone who helped him during his career. “Of course, thanks to my teammates. A piece of the shirt is yours. The team, all the coaches. I didn’t expect so much, I received much more than I gave”, he added.
The former player has used the withdrawal of his shirt to claim the impossible dreams. “As a kid I had a dream to play in the NBA, but never in a million years did I think this moment would be possible. It’s amazing. It just tells you that you don’t have to put limits on what you can do do, what you can achieve, you have to try to be the best you can be… This was the Mamba Mentality”, Gasol let go.
The former player closed the event with a message of hope. “I hope that together we can make a better world. I hope that we manage to make it a little healthier, cleaner and that step by step we keep moving forward,” he said.
The seventh European to achieve it
There are only six European players who have had their jersey retired. They are Drazen Petrovic (3), Vlade Divac (21), Peja Stojakovic (16), Zydrūnas Ilgauskas (11), Tony Parker (9) and Dirk Nowitzki (41). The best part is that the eighth player from the Old Continent who will have this privilege will be Marc Gasol, whom the Memphis Grizzlies plan to honor. The Lakers have already retired 11 of the 101 possible numbers. The list to which Gasol has been added includes Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Jamaal Wilkes, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, who has two reserved numbers , both the 8th and the 24th.