One of the things that former longtime Los Angeles Lakers head athletic trainer Gary Vitti often remembers about Pau Gasol was his resilience. It’s something that most fans didn’t know about the legendary big man that Vitti truly admired.
In a candid reflection about Pau, Gary revealed that the Spaniard spent almost his entire Lakers stint enduring some severe health conditions. Based on Vitti’s professional take, not all players could handle the pain and discomfort that Gasol had to deal with.
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Vitti didn’t need to see Gasol go toe-to-toe with other big men on the court to recognize him as a tough player. For Gary, playing through all that affliction was already a clear indication that Pau was stronger than most people thought.
“Pau was not a banger,” Vitti assessed. “I think he took unnecessary criticism for that. He was a great finesse player. Because Pau wasn’t a banger, he didn’t look like a tough guy. But when you’re looking at it from my perspective, Pau played hurt. There were times that he went out there and was either sick or had physical pain. He had a lot of upper respiratory infections. He was one of those guys that got sick all the time. But he would go out there and at least try. Pau never ever came to me to try to get time off.”
Kobe never viewed Pau as soft
All throughout his illustrious NBA career, Kobe Bryant took great pride in being one of the toughest players of his era. Many believed Gasol was completely the opposite, as he was stereotyped as “soft” early on in his career.
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However, that wasn’t how Kobe perceived Pau during their time in LA. Like Vitti, Bryant was also in awe of how tough Gasol was as a player. The Black Mamba argued that people were just quick to judge the Spaniard, as they didn’t see him the way he did.
“It was more of a learning experience. People say he’s soft; he’s not soft. He learned,” Bryant said of Pau after the Lakers’ Game 7 victory over the Celtics. “That was the first time he’s ever been past the first round, and he had to go against these dogs (in 2008.) It was a learning experience for him. Since then, he took his game to a whole ‘other level and we thank God every day for him.”
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Gasol exemplified toughness
Looking back, Vitti and Bryant were on point in emphasizing how tough Gasol really was during his playing years. He was one of the bigs who never came across as intimidating, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t match any player put in front of him.
In terms of playing style, Pau was smooth and versatile. He was able to smartly mix his European basketball foundation with the American style of play in the NBA. Moreover, Gasol also possessed an incredibly high basketball IQ, which made him an effective co-star for Bryant.
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Above all, he was a fierce competitor. Vitti was right, as Gasol wouldn’t slam bodies on the floor or muscle his way to the basket. However, the Spanish big man feared no player on the court.
It was also Gasol’s mental toughness that earned him the respect of the Lakers organization and the admiration of the Purple & Gold faithful. For them, Pau was tough inside and out.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.