Bryant was right: ‘no debate’ about retiring Gasol’s jersey number

LAKERS

The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, left, seen in 2010, felt it was inevitable that Pau Gasol’s jersey would be retired after he retired from the NBA. HANS GUTKNECHT — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Image

Pau Gasol was the Lakers’ litmus test.

Were you a true basketball aficionado or a fair-weather fan? Chess or checkers? Serious or simple?

Because so much of the head-spinning conversation during Gasol’s six-and-a-half season stay in L.A. sounded like this:

Fan 1: Pau is soft! He doesn’t care about playing defense! I don’t care if he’s averaging 10 boards per game, the Lakers are a bad rebounding team!

Fan 2: I love Pau.

If you’re Fan 1, know that other basketball fans were judging you. You might want to avert your eyes on March 7, when the Lakers will retire Gasol’s No. 16 jersey – unless you’ve come around.

I hope you have.

Here’s hoping that time