Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa returned to the LA Lakers' home stadium to show her support as an emotional Pau Gasol saw his shirt retired and placed with his friend's in the rafters.
Spanish basketball star Gasol signed for the Lakers in 2008 and instantly struck a repour with icon Bryant with the duo helping their side to championship titles in 2009 and 2010. Five-time NBA Champion Bryant already had his 24 shirt in the rafters at the Crypto.com Arena which is now joined by Gasol's No.16 top.
Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter died in 2020 in a high-profile helicopter crash.
Gasol was a close friend of the NBA star and supported his family after the tragic incident. It was the first time Mrs Bryant had been back to the Crypto.com Arena since her husband's memorial.
Wearing a championship ring on each hand an emotional Gasol addressed the crowd after becoming the 12th player in Lakers' history to have his jersey retired. He said: "Tonight really exceeds any dream or expectation that I've had.
"It means so much, and obviously with Kobe up there, it just adds something meaningful and powerful and sad and happy and painful and joyful. It's a lot of things.
"It has really been my honour to wear this jersey to play for this franchise, to help this team, to contribute to this city. But I can't go on without talking about the person and the face that I don't see. The brother that elevated me, inspired me, challenged me to be a better player, just to be a better man overall."
LA Lakers fans, who were each given a replica of Gasol's No.16 shirt, than started to crowd chant Kobe's name and the emotional Spaniard added: "I miss him so much, like so many of us do. I love him, I wish he was here with Gigi. I think he will be proud and he was looking forward to this moment. So, I love you brother."
In a pre-recorded speech Mrs Bryant revealed that her husband had predicted that the pair would have their shirts in the rafters of the Crypto.com Arena together.
She added: "Pau was special to Kobe as a teammate, as a man and as a friend. Pablo, Kobe predicted that you and he would be together in the rafters."
The shirt retirement ceremony took place at half-time as the Lakers hosted another of Gasol's former teams the Memphis Grizzlies.
