Kobe Bryant’s vision for the WNBA was a mission left unfinished. Now, his former teammate and close friend, Pau Gasol, is looking to pick up the mantle and carry that legacy forward. The six-time NBA All-Star and a four-time All-NBA team selection now talks about investing in the women’s game.

“I am going to try to stay as close as I can. I want to continue to grow my presence and investment in the league. I’m exploring if I could be a part of a franchise as well. Yeah, and see how much and what else I can do with our basketball academy, which we have in Barcelona,” Gasol said.

“I try to have and increase the number of girls that participate in our camp by talking to the Spanish federation. Please send us the best girls. We want to provide them with the experience, and we want to help their development. We just want more girls to play our sport,” said Gasol as he addressed Gigantes del Basket on YouTube about his plans regarding women’s basketball.

Ever since retiring from basketball after an 18-year-long career, Pau has now ventured into business and investments. The Pau Gasol Academy in Barcelona trains and hones several female players who can make promising careers in the WNBA.

The Gasol Foundation is already committed to fighting child obesity, and this investment and player development activity, too, is going to immensely benefit the WNBA in the long run.

Moreover, his influence and his brand will draw plenty of eyeballs onto the sport. Pau is also the proud Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, and that will further elevate women’s basketball at a global level.

Needless to say, Pau’s dedication towards the game is now drawing parallels with what Kobe Bryant, who was also a great admirer of women’s sports, did during his time.

Kobe Bryant: An Advocate For Women’s Basketball

Nothing can feel more gratifying than seeing your game getting the love and respect from one of the greatest the sport has ever produced. That is exactly what Kobe Bryant was to the WNBA: an ardent supporter, well-wisher who wanted to see the sport develop.

Kobe was not only vocal about the women getting the limelight, but he was also a trustee to the sport. His daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant was developing a passion for basketball that returned Bryant to the sport he spent most of his life mastering after he had already hung up his boots.

From hardly watching it to watching it every night, his routine had completely changed once Gigi had expressed her desire to play in the WNBA.

Bryant became an ambassador to women’s hoops on all levels, and often attended WNBA games with his daughters. Bryant was also a spectator at collegiate games, making visits to the University of Connecticut, where Gianna had dreams of playing under legendary women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma. He was all in at that point in time.

But he just wasn’t a mute spectator, and when Cathy Engelbert needed help with funds, Kobe Bryant dived right in to help her raise it. “I’m going to help you raise it,” Kobe had said, quite clearly willing to raise 50 million for the game.

This conversation had happened just a few months prior to Kobe’s untimely death in a fateful crash in January 2020, and though it delayed the proceedings, the WNBA did, in fact, surpass that figure with 75 million.