The Los Angeles Lakers won two titles with the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol leading the way. The Lakers relied on Bryant's clutch scoring and Gasol's smooth post game and passing games en route to their championship wins, allowing fans to forget the Shaq-Kobe days, if only for a little while afterward.
Stories of Bryant continue to entertain and delight more than three years since his tragic death. Trevor Ariza, a former Lakers defensive stopper, shared a hilarious text message exchange in honor of what would have been Bryant's 45th birthday. Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's widow, also shared a message for his birthday.
Recent Hall-of-Fame inductee Pau Gasol also shared a heartfelt message for Bryant's birthday that has fans talking.
Happy birthday brother ❤️ pic.twitter.com/iwTjDKpwnX
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) August 23, 2023
Bryant was killed in a tragic helicopter crash along with his daughter Gianna, also known as Gigi.
He averaged 25 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists for his career. Gasol averaged 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds, shooting over 50 percent for his career while leading Spain in international play, although he did not win a gold medal.
As is often the case, the Lakers' many franchise legends have featured prominently in NBA news this week.
Gilbert Arenas dropped a stunning take on LeBron James' place on the NBA's all-time great point guards list. The man known as ‘King James' also posted a Kobe Bryant tribute of his own.
The past postseason the Lakers fell short of their ultimate goal of winning the 2023 NBA Championship. With so many good vibes surrounding the team and its current roster, the biggest offseason question is who on the team's current roster can duplicate Gasol and Bryant's heroics in 2024.
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