Pau Gasol Forever Cherishes His Bond With Kobe Bryant
By Cody Westerlund--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- As the years have gone by and he's been distanced from his tenure with the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, Bulls big man Pau Gasol has continually expressed an appreciation of the two's strong bond and vast accomplishments.
Such was the case again Monday evening, when Gasol for the first time addressed Bryant's announcement Sunday that he's retiring at the end of the 2015-'16 season. It caused Gasol to reflect on just how well the two complemented one another.
"He's got that alpha personality," the laidback Gasol said. "You've just got to understand where he's coming from and work with him the best you can. If you try to bump heads with him, it's not going to work out well. So I understood that, and my personality fit in perfectly with his and the team at the time. I never searched for my own spotlight, I was never trying to step on anybody's toes. I was just doing whatever it took to win championships and help the team, and we did that. We developed great chemistry, a great relationship and great respect for each other."
Bryant and Gasol led the Lakers to three straight NBA Finals appearances from 2008 to 2010, with Los Angeles winning the latter two championships. Those titles further cemented Bryant's status as one of the greatest players in NBA history and validated Gasol as one of the best in the game as well.
And Gasol will forever cherish all that.
"How competitive he is," Gasol said of what he'll most remember of playing with Bryant from 2008 to 2014. "He'll continue to be no matter what he does. That's just his spirit. He's a hard-working guy. He wants to be the best. He doesn't settle for anything less. He's always going to try to be and will be exceptional."
Gasol had a feeling this would be Bryant's final season, given the latter's shooting struggles and all the injuries he's dealt with in recent years.
"I was just hoping he could have a healthy season, where he could enjoy himself in a situation where, team-wise, it's a franchise that's rebuilding with a lot of young talent," Gasol said. "They're probably not going to win a lot of games. So I just want him to have as much fun as possible in his last year."
So where's Bryant rank among the NBA greats in Gasol's mind?
"One of the greatest," Gasol said. "Where would he rank? That's very subjective. But he's definitely at the top, for what he's accomplished with his teams and how long he's played. The dedication, the work he's put into the game and how much he's given to the game. So I feel like that makes you one of the best ever."