Kobe Bryant will bid farewell to Pau Gasol on court when the Chicago Bulls visit Los Angeles on Thursday. Ahead of the match, the Lakers star paid tribute to the Spaniard, alongside whom he won two NBA titles during a six-and-a-half season period they spent together with the California franchise.
The retiring star has frequently stuck up for Pau in the past and did so once again, highlighting what he felt was an unfair situation that the older Gasol had to endure during Mike D’Antoni’s time as head coach, when the Spain international was regularly linked with an exit.
“I thought that it was really silly and I felt bad for him going through all that stuff. That’s why I defended him so much”, Bryant stated.
“I think the city of LA didn’t really appreciate what he did and what we had, and so as a consequence, everybody kind of fell in line with the Mike D’Antoni rhetoric of small ball [a playing style based on smaller, faster, more agile players] and all this other bull****. For a guy that has two championships to be treated that way, you don’t do that, man”, Kobe added.
Bron: Marca
