According to a press release from the league, Pau Gasol has won the second-ever Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award. Gasol, who became close with Kobe when the two played together for seven seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, is a six-time NBA All-Star and two-time champion.
The press release said the award is meant to “honor advocates and influencers who use their time, talent, and platform to raise awareness for the WNBA, and women’s and girls’ basketball in various ways, like Kobe was so committed to doing.” Gasol was one of the investors in the league's recent capital raise and has been vocal about his support of women's basketball across the board.
“I’m so pleased that Pau has been chosen to receive this award. Pau has done so much to promote women and girls in sports and cares deeply about spreading a message of equality, which was so important to Kobe and Gianna,” said Vanessa Bryant, Chair of the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a positive impact for underserved athletes and boys and girls in sports.
“We are grateful to the WNBA and Pau for continuing to honor Kobe and Gianna in this way.”
Gasol was grateful to follow Bryant's work promoting women's basketball and to receive an honor commingled with his friend's legacy.
“It is an honor to receive this distinction, which makes me especially happy because it represents two people who are and will always be in my heart,” said Pau Gasol. “Kobe's work, especially during his later years, to support women's sports is an excellent example of where we must direct our efforts to ensure full equality in sports.”
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