Pau Gasol Echoes Kobe Bryant Sentiment Before Heartfelt Moment With Cameron Brink & Kelsey Plum

Friends, foes, family! Pick any particular role and Pau Gaosl will perform that to the tee. That’s why even Kobe Bryant was so attached to his Lakers teammate even after retirement. Their bond was not related to just taking a few trips together. Vanessa Bryant is the godmother to Pau’s kids, just as Pau is the godfather to Kobe’s. And it didn’t stop there—Pau named his daughter Elisabet Gianna Gasol, a touching tribute to Kobe and Gigi.

Once again, the Spaniard did one such tribute during his recent visit to Crypto.com Arena. 12,218 fans packed the house to see WNBA action between the Sparks and the Mystics. The Lakers’ sister team did not disappoint as they won 81-78, thanks to a late resurgence from Kelsey Plum. The 2x WNBA champion, being a California native, was traded to the Sparks and has made the team a playoff contender. Against the Mystics, she scored 14 of her 18 in the fourth quarter to fend off the Washington side.

Sitting courtside, taking in all the action was none other than Pau Gasol. Elisabet Gianna Gasol also met the W stars when she was standing in the tunnel alongside her father.  Sparks’ Plum dapped Gasol and even had a sweet interaction with his daughter. “Hi, how are you? Nice to meet you. I like your bow.” Similarly, even the sophomore, Cameron Brink, met with the Gasols and each exchanged pleasantries. The Sparks shared the post on Instagram. “No strangers to @cryptocomarena. #WNBACelebRow”. The Lakers legend reshared the post, with the caption, “#GirlDad” with a red heart emoji.

For context, it was the 6x All-Star’s teammate, Kobe Bryant, who coined the term ‘Girl Dad’. During an ESPN interview with Elle Duncan, he expressed his deep pride in being a father to his daughters, famously saying, “I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad“. The term gained widespread traction and became a popular hashtag, #GirlDad, after Bryant’s unfortunate death in January 2020. The tributes continued to follow.

Just last year, Vanessa Bryant unveiled the second of the three Kobe Bryant statues. The franchise unveiled the first statue — a 19-foot bronze memorial to Bryant’s 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors. But the second one was personal. This time, the statue was alongside Gigi and had a plaque placed right in front of the statue that reads — ‘Gianna Bryant, Inspirational Icon for Girls in Sports’, and ‘Kobe Bryant, Proud Supporter of Women in Sports’. 

Apart from this, the plaque also features a quote from the ‘Most Valuable Girl Dad — “Gianna is a beast. She’s better than I was at her age. She’s got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.” And Pau is taking the legacy forward and has also received an award.

Pau Gasol on helping the growth of women’s basketball

Earlier this year, the Spanish icon attended the Counter V event. The agenda was to discuss basketball and sports development, where some of the biggest names in the industry discuss the game’s evolution. In fact, attending the event was WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, and the two highly spoke of each other’s contributions. First, Gasol stated, “Great conversation with Cathy. Obviously, she’s a good friend and she’s a great leader for the W. Hopefully, the audience, you know, they invest more and they understand more the importance of getting involved and helping grow sport, grow the game,” he said.

Engelbert made sure that the world knows about Pau Gasol’s contribution as well. “Pau’s been so great in helping us think through that as well,” she said. It’s not the first time that the Lakers legend has received acknowledgment for his behind-the-scenes help.  Back in 2023, the Spaniard received the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award. The award that recognizes individuals who use their platform to advance women’s and girls’ basketball. And Pau has been clear with his goals as he previously backed Spain’s 3X3 basketball team during the Paris Olympics, and has been a constant advocate for the WNBA’s growth.

When he received the award in 2023, he made a promise that he still continues to deliver on. “I’m so incredibly touched and very grateful to @CathyEngelbert @WNBA Commissioner, and my dear sister Vanessa Bryant for this amazing honor. I’m committed to growing women’s basketball and carrying on Kobe and Gigi’s legacy. #PlayGigisWay #KobeAndGigiAward”.