MANILA, Philippines — Pau Gasol and his wife Cat found the perfect name for their newborn daughter.
The Gasols on Thursday welcomed Elisabet Gianna, named after the daughter of Kobe Bryant. Naming their newborn Gianna had the blessing of Vanessa, whose daughter Gigi died along with her husband Kobe and seven others in a helicopter crash last January in California.
https://twitter.com/paugasol/status/1305246688764805120?s=20
“My goddaughter is here!!! Kob would’ve loved to have been her godfather. Congratulations @paugasol @catmcdonnell7 Love you 3 so much! So toughed by your request to honor my Gigi ❤️ Can’t wait to hold Elisabet Gianna Gasol ❤️ 9/10/20 #girldad #girlmom,” Vanessa posted on Instagram.
“We love you sis! You’re going to be the best Godmother to our Ellie Gianna ❤️,” Pau wrote in reply to Vanessa’s post.
The Bryant family and the Gasols have shared a close relationship since Pau and Kobe’s days as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The dynamic duo played seven seasons together and led the Lakers to back-to-back NBA championships in 2009 and 2010.