Whether Kobe Bryant was still in this world, there is no doubt that Paul Gasol would have chosen him for his entry into the Hall Of Fame. The Spaniard finally opted for Toni Kukocwith whom he never played, but in the LA Times, he reveals that it was one of his idols. Because until the age of 19, the eldest of the Gasols played winger, and he was fine. Like the former Bulls winger.
“Growing up, and even though he was left-handed, one of my idols was Toni Kukoc and he does me the honor of introducing me [au Hall Of Fame]. He was young, fearless, clever… He was 2m05, 2m07, 2m08 tall. It was around this size” replies Gasol.“He was a player who played wide. He was shooting 3-pointers. He was very talented and he played for the Bulls in the 90s, which was obviously the team of the decade, with MJ, Scottie and the others. If Michael was the man of the 90s who transcended basketball, Toni was the skinny European. I played winger until I was 19. I was skinny too. I knew how to dribble, pass, create, shoot… So he was a guy I admired growing up. Then, of course, we start to take an interest in other players. We start looking at the best power forwards, whether in Europe or the United States. But Michael and Toni were the guys I idolized the most.”
United for life with Kobe’s family
If Kobe was not his idol, the Spanish pivot recalls how much his friend and teammate changed his career. “He played a vital role and I think it’s a really unique role” assures Gasol. “He is without a doubt one of the players who made me progress the most. He pushed me to not only become one of the best power forwards in the league, but to do so every night for our entire journey together. I was very lucky to join the Lakers at that time, to have Kobe as a teammate, as a mentor, as a big brother. I will miss him enormously on Saturday, as I miss him regularly. It’s obvious that when you receive this kind of honor and someone has played such an important role in your success, you would like them to be there”.
Those who will be there are undoubtedly Vanessa Bryant, and the sisters of Gianna, who died with her father in the helicopter crash. Pau Gasol remains very close to Kobe’s widow and their daughters.
“It’s a privilege. It means a lot to me to be able to have such a close relationship, a family relationship in fact, with Vanessa, Natalia, Bianka and Capri and to spend time together, to be a family, to be an uncle to these girls, to ‘be a brother to Vanessa’ concludes Gasol. “It’s very special. Very special. It is something that is dear to my heart, to the heart of my family too. Vanessa is obviously the godmother of our daughter, Elisabet Gianna. This is forever. It’s forever for me. It’s for life. It’s a real love, a unique love, which was reinforced by Kobe.
| Paul Gasol | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2001-02 | SAME | 82 | 37 | 51.8 | 20.0 | 70.9 | 2.9 | 6.0 | 8.9 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 17.6 |
| 2002-03 | SAME | 82 | 36 | 51.0 | 10.0 | 73.6 | 2.3 | 6.4 | 8.8 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 19.0 |
| 2003-04 | SAME | 78 | 32 | 48.2 | 26.7 | 71.4 | 2.6 | 5.1 | 7.7 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 17.7 |
| 2004-05 | SAME | 56 | 32 | 51.4 | 16.7 | 76.8 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 7.3 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 17.8 |
| 2005-06 | SAME | 80 | 39 | 50.3 | 25.0 | 68.9 | 2.4 | 6.5 | 8.9 | 4.6 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 20.4 |
| 2006-07 | SAME | 59 | 36 | 53.8 | 27.3 | 74.8 | 2.5 | 7.3 | 9.9 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 20.8 |
| 2007-08* | All Teams | 66 | 36 | 53.4 | 25.0 | 80.7 | 2.4 | 6.0 | 8.4 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 18.9 |
| 2007-08* | SAME | 39 | 37 | 50.1 | 26.7 | 81.9 | 2.4 | 6.4 | 8.8 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 18.9 |
| 2007-08* | ALL | 27 | 34 | 58.9 | 0.0 | 78.9 | 2.3 | 5.6 | 7.8 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 18.8 |
| 2008-09 | ALL | 81 | 37 | 56.7 | 50.0 | 78.1 | 3.2 | 6.4 | 9.6 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 18.9 |
| 2009-10 | ALL | 65 | 37 | 53.6 | 0.0 | 79.0 | 3.7 | 7.6 | 11.3 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 18.3 |
| 2010-11 | ALL | 82 | 37 | 52.9 | 33.3 | 82.3 | 3.3 | 6.9 | 10.2 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 18.8 |
| 2011-12 | ALL | 65 | 37 | 50.1 | 25.9 | 78.2 | 2.8 | 7.6 | 10.4 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 17.4 |
| 2012-13 | ALL | 49 | 34 | 46.6 | 28.6 | 70.2 | 2.3 | 6.3 | 8.6 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 13.7 |
| 2013-14 | ALL | 60 | 31 | 48.0 | 28.6 | 73.6 | 2.1 | 7.6 | 9.7 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 17.4 |
| 2014-15 | CHI | 78 | 34 | 49.4 | 46.2 | 80.3 | 2.8 | 9.0 | 11.8 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 18.5 |
| 2015-16 | CHI | 72 | 32 | 46.9 | 34.8 | 79.2 | 2.2 | 8.9 | 11.0 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 16.5 |
| 2016-17 | SAN | 64 | 25 | 50.2 | 53.8 | 70.7 | 1.7 | 6.2 | 7.8 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 12.4 |
| 2017-18 | SAN | 77 | 24 | 45.8 | 35.8 | 75.6 | 1.7 | 6.4 | 8.0 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 10.1 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 30 | 12 | 44.7 | 46.2 | 70.0 | 0.7 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 3.9 |
| 2018-19 * | SAN | 27 | 12 | 46.6 | 50.0 | 71.1 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 4.2 |
| 2018-19 * | MIL | 3 | 10 | 16.7 | 33.3 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| Total | 1226 | 33 | 50.7 | 36.8 | 75.3 | 2.5 | 6.7 | 9.2 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 17.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
