On Saturday night, Pau Gasol will enter the NBA Hall of Fame, cementing his place in the league as one of the most talented big men to ever play the game.
Speaking on ESPN, Brian Windhorst touched upon how Gasol changed the league and also greatly assisted Kobe Bryant’s legacy.
“Gasol’s arrival saved Kobe Bryant’s last act as a Laker,” Windhorst said.
He reminded viewers how the Lakers got Gasol for next to nothing, a move that would anger many other teams and also prevent them from finding success.
Gasol didn’t just alter the Lakers and Bryant’s career, but he also changed the rest of the league too.
Gasol was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2001 NBA Draft.
He was a legitimate star from the start, earning Rookie of the Year and earning an All-Star selection during his time in Memphis.
But he was then traded to the Lakers in 2008 and that is when Gasol reached a whole new level.
Playing alongside Bryant made Gasol a better athlete and he fit in perfectly with the plans that LA had.
With Gasol and Bryant running the show, the Lakers repeatedly made noise in the playoffs and won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010.
Windhorst claims that the big three that would come to the Miami Heat was built as a response to the Gasol and the Lakers.
Gasol and Bryant became friends during their time together and remained incredibly close until Bryant’s death a few years ago.
When Gasol was traded to the Lakers, he didn’t just gain a very special teammate, but he gained a friend who would change his life.
NEXT: Pau Gasol Shows Excitement On Becoming A Hall Of Famer
