Pau Gasol says Kobe Bryant inspired his advocacy for women's basketball

Kobe Bryant touched a lot of lives in his storied basketball career and he continues to do so even after his passing.

Pau Gasol, his former teammate in Lakers and his good pal off the court, shared that Bryant is one of his inspirations for pushing forth women's basketball and women empowerment in sports in general.

Before he died, Bryant was a strong advocate of women's basketball, hoping to create the same opportunities for his daughter, Gigi - who passed away with him in 2020 - that he once had himself.

Today, Gasol is out to continue what Bryant started.

"Obviously Kobe was an inspiration, his impact and his involvement with Gigi was something that was very close to my heart and I felt I kinda try to follow that path," Gasol said in a press conference on Friday.

Gasol, a two-time NBA champion and a six-time NBA All-Star, is hoping to see a future where young girls, like his own daughter, would find a career in basketball.

"Having my own daughter as well, I wanted her to have any opportunity as my son would have. So all those things, for the love of the game, it's just a very exciting time for women's basketball."

Like Bryant, Gasol is hoping to see women's basketball grow further as he passed the torch to another legend in Sue Bird who has been named as the new ambassador for the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup in Germany.

"I've always enjoyed watching the women's game. It's something I feel strongly about so to see the growth of the game, seeing the differences over the years, and to understand how that happens is amazing," he added.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News