5 reasons why Pau Gasol is a top-5 Lakers big man of all time
Pau Gasol is one of the LA Lakers' legendary big men. The former EuroBasket MVP was instrumental to two championships for the Los Angeles Lakers, as he formed a ferocious partnership with the late Kobe Bryant.
Here are five reasons why Pau Gasol is a top-five Los Angeles Lakers big man of all time.
#1, Reliable passing
Unlike most big men in Lakers' history, Gasol was a reliable passer, both from the perimeter and the high post. The Lakers could run multiple variations of their elbow actions, knowing that Gasol would find his man.
In six (full) seasons with the Lakers, Gasol dished out 1413 regular-season assists and 330 post-season assists.
#2, Pau Gasol led the Lakers to two championships
During his tenure with the team, Gasol was a vital part of them winning two NBA championships. The European big man was a deadly screener, rebounder, and scorer and created a fearsome pick-and-roll offense with Kobe Bryant.
Gasol was nowhere near as physically dominant as Shaquille O'Neal, however, he was far more skilled and utilized angles with nuance.
#3, Efficient scoring
Over his six full seasons with the LA Lakers, Gasol shot 51.8% from the field. By scoring one out of every two shots, the Lakers had a reliable offensive outlet whenever opposing defenses would look to close out on Kobe Bryant.
Unlike most big men of his generation, Gasol wasn't a liability at the free-throw line either, converting 77.9% of his charity stripe attempts, meaning teams couldn't look to get easy defensive possessions by giving up fouls.
#4, Pau Gasol was a consummate professional
Despite his All-Star status, Gasol never found himself in the media for negative reasons or shone a negative light on the Lakers organization. Instead, Gasol lived a quiet life off the court, opting to remain professional and keep his personal life away from the bright lights of LA's media scene.
#5, Peak years came in a Lakers jersey
Pau Gasol spent 18 years in the NBA, but his best seasons came while he was suiting up for the Los Angeles Lakers. Gasol was a three-time All-Star while representing the Purple and Gold and scored a total of 7,102 regular-season points, along with 4029 regular-season rebounds.
He might not have been with the Los Angeles Lakers for his entire career, but his spell with the organization is one of the most memorable tenures in the team's history.