Pau Gasol Reacts To Phil Jackson Statue Announcement

It’s a simple reaction from Gasol, but one that is fitting of his character. Gasol is one of the most genuine and loving human beings to ever step foot on an NBA floor and a pair of purple and gold hearts is all he needs to put out there.

Being traded to the Lakers completely changed the course of Gasol’s career. Obviously it led to back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010 under Jackson’s helm, but it also brought him together with his best friend, the late, great Kobe Bryant. The impact that both Bryant and Jackson had on Gasol, and really getting him to reach that next level is immeasurable.

There is no doubt that Gasol will be one of many in attendance at the statue unveiling, just as Jackson was in the building to see Gasol’s number 16 jersey get raised to the rafters of Crypto.com Arena.

Jackson is, in the eyes of many, the greatest NBA coach in the history of the game. He won 11 NBA Championships overall with the Lakers and Chicago Bulls, has the most playoff wins of any coach in NBA history and has the second-highest regular season win percentage in history, trailing only current Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzula who has coached 1,300 fewer games than Jackson. He also holds the Lakers franchise records for both regular season and playoff wins.

The statue for Jackson will be unveiled on April 9, 2027 ahead of the Lakers’ contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Charles Barkley believes Lakers can be as good as 2024 Mavericks

The goal for this year’s Lakers team is to reach the heights that those Jackson-coached squads did and win an NBA Championship. While some are unsure whether this team can compete, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley believes this Lakers squad can be as good as the 2024 Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks team that made the NBA Finals.