Pau Gasol didn’t need to say much to get NBA fans emotional again.
On Monday, he showed up for Kobe Bryant’s eldest daughter, Natalia, who turned 23. Gasol posted a photo with her from the celebration and kept the caption simple.
“Happy Birthday Natalia! Love you so much and I’m so proud of you! I can’t believe you are 23 already.”
That was enough.
Fans immediately picked up on what it meant — not just the birthday, but the fact that Gasol is still there years later.
“The type of brother we all need,” @SweeperSolana wrote.
The type of brother we all need
— Sweeper (@SweeperSolana) January 19, 2026
“Kobe would be so proud,” @betswithvinnie added.
Others pointed out how rare that kind of loyalty feels in sports.
“Tio Pau, he’s truly family,” @kalgotjuice777 added.
Gasol’s relationship with the Bryants never felt like a teammate thing. Even back when he and Kobe were winning titles together, it was clear they were closer than that. Before the helicopter crash that took Kobe, Gianna, and seven others, the two had talked about raising each other’s kids — Kobe helping Gasol’s sons grow tougher, Gasol promising to look out for Kobe’s daughters.
Years later, fans can see he meant it.
“Hope he’s not just a figurehead for the money”: NBA fans split on Pau Gasol’s next move
Gasol also popped up in a very different conversation this week.
According to The Athletic, his name is being floated as part of the NBA’s potential push into Europe. He was in London with hundreds of others discussing what an NBA-backed league overseas could look like.
That sparked mixed reactions.
Some fans liked the idea, but with conditions.
“Hope he’s not just a figurehead for the money,” @cosmos_atom_ wrote.
Others thought his presence made sense — especially if it included more former European stars.
“It’ll make a lot of sense, and I don’t think including Jose Calderon in the equation will be a bad idea either,” @Estanislao72 said.
A few weren’t buying it at all.
“NBA gonna lose star players to the European league,” @LakersFanBDA warned.
Nothing is finalized. The league reportedly wants 12 permanent teams, with others rotating in through performance. Clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Fenerbahce have already shown interest.
For now, it’s all talk.
But whether it’s quietly showing up for Kobe’s family or being tied to the NBA’s next big experiment, Pau Gasol keeps finding his way back into the conversation — and fans are paying attention.
