Pau Gasol Remembers Kobe Bryant During Emotional Hall of Fame Speech

Pau Gasol paid tribute to his late, former teammate Kobe Bryant during his Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech this weekend.

Speaking to the audience in Springfield, MA on Saturday night, Gasol became visibly emotional while discussing “the person who elevated my game like no other.” He explained that after being traded to the Lakers from the Grizzlies in 2008, Bryant was the first player to welcome Gasol to the team. The legend, who tragically died alongside his daughter Gianna in a 2020 helicopter crash, made a point of staying up until the early hours to greet Gasol upon his arrival, despite the Lakers having a lunchtime game that day.

“He made sure that right away, firsthand, I got the message," Gasol recalled of the NBA legend. “He said, ‘Welcome to the team. I'm happy you're here. Now let's go win a championship together.’ I said, ‘Alright I'm in, man. I'm in. Have a good night.’ That was it. No crap. Straight to the chase.”

As Gasol spoke, Kobe's widow Vanessa Bryant watched from the crowd. She appeared stoic, though clearly overwhelmed. “I wouldn't be here without you, brother. I wish more than anything that you and Gigi were here today with us. I miss you and love you.” Gasol, who has long spoken of his bond with Kobe, went on to say he was a “brother” to Vanessa and an “uncle” to her children.

Gasol, a six-time NBA All Star and three-time Olympic medalist with Spain’s national team, helped the Lakers to three consecutive NBA Finals. They won two of those titles, in 2009 and 2010. He was inducted alongside Dwayne Wade, Becky Hammon, and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.