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NBA: Pau Gasol, latest Laker teammate to publicly comment on Kobe’s death

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/reuters/02/14/20160414-mural-honoring-the-late-kobe-bryant-rtr.jpg"/><figcaption>A mural honoring the late Kobe Bryant is displayed on February 13, 2020 blocks from United Center, where the NBA All-Star game will be played, in Chicago. <em>Brendan O’Brien, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>It took a while for the public to know how Pau Gasol had been since Kobe Bryant’s death.</p><p>In an interview posted on the Los Angeles Times YouTube channel on Friday, Gasol reacted the way many people close to Bryant did.</p><p>“It’s hard to find words. I couldn’t talk to anyone for days,” he said. “Basically I didn’t leave the house.”</p><p>The only person Gasol communicated with initially was Rob Pelinka, Bryant’s former agent and the current Lakers general manager, “just to know what was going on, what happened.”</p><p>Gasol said he found out about Bryant’s death as he was driving home from a basketball game in Spain. In the vehicle, he said his wife started to get messages reporting the helicopter crash that killed 9 people, including Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.</p><p>“I didn’t quite understand what (my wife) was saying,” said Gasol, Bryant’s teammate on two Laker championships. </p><p>“Little by little, she said my face went white when she told me (the news).”</p><p>When they got to the house, Gasol recalled, he started crying.</p><p>Apart from visits to a clinic where he had his foot tested, Gasol didn’t go out, until he decided to fly to Los Angeles.</p><p>“I just felt wrong being away from (Los Angeles) when I had the chance (to go),” Gasol said.</p><p>“It’s not easy to travel in crutches, with a boot, but I needed to be here, to be close to his family, be available.” </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I9d9IjRSUCI?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Gasol isn’t the first teammate of Bryant to be interviewed by the LA Times.</p><p>Four days after Bryant’s death on January 26, Metta World Peace, also known as Ron Artest, sat down with the Times to reminisce about the one-time NBA MVP, whom he played with and won a title in 2010.</p><p>“It’s just such a shock,” World Peace said. “I know he’s looking down on us is one thing I can say. And Gigi (Bryant’s daughter) is looking down on us.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I4eeISaxSKE?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Here are selected videos of Bryant’s teammates talking about his passing:</p><div><strong>Shaquille O’Neal</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qloOyrRUlu4?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><strong>Lamar Odom</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-w3GbSbA03k?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><strong>Rick Fox and Derek Fisher</strong> </div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HleKqkM_md0?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><strong>Luke Walton</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CoM1Ol00pyU?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><strong>Brian Shaw</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sp9TguAc1U4?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</p>

<p>“I couldn’t talk to anyone for days,” said Gasol, Bryant’s teammate on two Laker championships.</p>

“I couldn’t talk to anyone for days,” said Gasol, Bryant’s teammate on two Laker championships.