Pau Gasol will forever remain part of the Los Angeles Lakers family after winning two NBA championships alongside Kobe Bryant.
Gasol went to three straight NBA Finals appearances with the Lakers after joining the Purple and Gold through a trade in 2008. The Spanish big man turned out to be the All-Star teammate Bryant had missed since Shaquille O’Neal and the two led the team to its first title since the fabled three-peat in the early 2000s.
Gasol’s No. 16 jersey is yet to head up to Crypto.com Arena’s rafters — but the 42-year-old has other things to be excited about in the months to come. The Lakers great has announced his wife, Catherine McDonnell, is pregnant with a boy, who will join the Gasol family in the fall:
Big sister reporting for duty! ? Baby brother Gasol arriving soon!! ? #Fall2022
Ellie tendrá un hermanito! ? Nuestro próximo hijo está en camino!! ? #hermanopequeño pic.twitter.com/mnhBSfjVrh
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) August 2, 2022
The Lakers joined hundreds of Gasol’s followers in sharing the joy with the couple, writing on Instagram: “Congrats to the Gasol Fam!”
Gasol and McDonnell tied the knot in July 2019. In September 2020, they welcomed their first child, daughter Elisabet Gianna Gasol — whose second name is attributed to the late Gianna Bryant. Kobe’s wife, Vanessa, is Elisabet’s godmother.
Gasol teases jersey retirement ceremony in 2022-23; Jeanie Buss comments on timeline for Kobe Bryant statue
Gasol recently hinted at the possibility of the Lakers retiring his jersey in the 2022-23 season.
“The ceremony could be the next season. Yes, I’ve talked to the franchise and Buss family. We are all very excited,” Gasol said on RAC1 in July.
Meanwhile, president Jeanie Buss has reassured the Lakers faithful she’s held talks over building a Kobe Bryant statue outside of Crypto.com Arena.
“Those are all things we are discussing internally,” she said last month. “Rest assured, we haven’t forgotten anything. But it has to be done the right way and at the right time.
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