Pau Gasol is having his jersey lifted into the rafters of Crypto.com Arena with all the Lakers’ legends in March of 2023 and Gasol should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The story began when the Lakers acquired the then one-time All-Star from the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2007-2008 season.
One of the main reasons Gasol should be a Hall of Famer is because of his consistency on the court.
Gasol is 30th all-time in minutes and averaged around 17 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists for his career.
Pau also played in the NBA for 19 years and played alongside the late, great Kobe Bryant, who was looking to win his first championship without Shaq.
Once Gasol was traded to the Lakers, the team had a defensive rating inside the top 10 for four straight seasons and got over the hump of losing as a result of Pau Gasol.
Pau Gasol was pivotal to the Lakers winning two NBA Championships in 2009 and 2010, something which Kobe often said.
During an interview at the Oscars Kobe said, “when he (Pau Gasol) retires he’ll have his number in the rafters next to mine, the reality is I don’t win those championships without Pau.”
Richard Le of Bleacher Report ranked Gasol as the 2nd best power forward in Laker’s history.
Pau Gasol should also be in the Hall of Fame because of the accolades he achieved as an NBA player.
Gasol has been on the All-NBA team four times, is a six-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion and the Rookie of the Year in 2001-2002.
Steve Hanson of the LA Times said, “All 10 Lakers whose jersey numbers are retired have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.”
“Pau Gasol stands an excellent chance of being included in a strong 2023 Hall of Fame class,” Hanson said.
Many people still wonder if Pau Gasol will ever be elected into the NBA Hall of Fame, but with his vast array of milestones and achievements, it is almost a guarantee that he is going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
When Gasol is illegible to be in the Hall of Fame in 2023, the voters for the Basketball Hall of Fame should vote in Pau Gasol to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
