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Marlon Wayans On Kobe Bryant's Reaction When He Called Pau Gasol 'An Ostrich That Got Pushed Into An Oil Spill'

Originally posted on Fadeaway World
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Sep 13, 2024 11:06 AM ET

Marlon Wayans was a guest on Shaquille O'Neal's 'Big Podcast', where he was asked about making jokes at NBA games. Wayans told the story of being courtside at a Lakers game where he was making jokes at Pau Gasol's expense. Kobe Bryant intervened and told him to cool things down and show respect to his teammate.

"I was at a Lakers game, and Kobe pulled me to the side. I was cracking jokes on Pau Gasol. I said he looked like an ostrich that pushed into an oil spill... And Kobe just turned and said 'Yo, chill. That may be my next ring'. And I was like 'Alright, cool'. Just for you, champ. But Kobe was laughing."

(30:00 onwards)

This story just shows how much respect Kobe Bryant had for Pau Gasol. Pau was traded to the Lakers in 2007, just a few months after Kobe had demanded a trade from the Lakers after years of frustrations and playoff disappointments. The pairing immediately made the Lakers contenders.

Gasol and Bryant led the Lakers to the NBA Finals in 2008, but they weren't able to overcome the Boston Celtics, who had put together a big three with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. But the Lakers wouldn't just go away, making a formidable return next season.

In the 2009-10 NBA season, Kobe and Gasol took the Lakers back to the NBA Finals, where they vanquished the Orlando Magic to win the NBA championship. Bryant was named the Finals MVP. The following season, they did it all over again, and even got a measure of revenge on the Celtics, beating them in 7 games to win the NBA championship.

Gasol was a crucial part of Kobe's career, as he helped him win two NBA championships, and Finals MVPs, and further his already great legacy. One can imagine whether Kobe would be considered an all-time great had he not won the championships with Gasol.

Pau Gasol Became Very Close With Kobe Bryant

Many have suggested that Gasol was crucial to Kobe Bryant's second act with the Lakers. In fact, Brian Windhorst suggested last year that Gasol saved Kobe Bryant's latter tenure as a Laker when he arrived.

Pau Gasol's relationship with Kobe Bryant wasn't just strong on the court. The two became good friends and enjoyed each other's company even when they weren't playing together. A recent video resurfacing showed Bryant and Gasol playing 2-on-2 in Spain, showing that they enjoyed spending their downtime with each other.

Since Kobe Bryant's tragic passing, Gasol has shown an immense amount of support to the Bryant family, often spending time and organizing family events with Vanessa Bryant. It just goes to show how much Kobe meant to Pau, and how much he considers him a part of his extended family.

Gasol even paid tribute to Kobe Bryant during his induction speech into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. The love and respect between the two players was clear for all to see on that day, and we can only hope to see more duos in the NBA come even close to the magnificence Kobe and Gasol achieved with each other.

This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.

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