Los Angeles Lakers retiring Pau Gasol’s No. 16 jersey

The Los Angeles Lakers are elevating former massive man Pau Gasol’s No. 16 jersey into the rafters.

Los Angeles introduced Wednesday that it’ll retire Gasol’s jersey on March 7 of the upcoming season, when the membership hosts the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Lakers acquired Gasol from the Grizzlies in 2008. It marked the primary time in NBA historical past {that a} brother was included in a package deal for his brother, because the Lakers despatched the rights to Marc Gasol to Memphis as a part of the deal. The deal spawned three consecutive NBA Finals appearances and back-to-back titles for the Lakers.

Teaming with Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol performed maybe one of the best basketball of his profession for L.A. He averaged 17.7 factors, 9.9 rebounds and three.5 assists whereas taking pictures 52.2% from the sector throughout six-and-a-half seasons in Tinseltown. 

The Spanish import was initially chosen by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 3 total decide within the 2001 NBA Draft earlier than being dealt to Memphis for Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Gasol spent six-and-a-half seasons with the Grizzlies. After his run with the Lakers, he performed two seasons with the Chicago Bulls and two-and-a-half with the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs purchased out Gasol in 2019, and he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, the place he appeared in three video games.

Gasol completed his 18-year NBA profession averaging a mixed 17.0 factors, 9.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per recreation. He shall be eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.