Vanessa Bryant drops 2-word reaction to Kobe Bryant's ex-teammate's wholesome tribute to her daughter

Following the tragic death of legendary NBA guard Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol remains close with Vanessa Bryant and Kobe's family. Gasol and Bryant spent seven memorable seasons together in Southern California with the LA Lakers. The two NBA stars shared a special chemistry on the court and developed a close relationship off the court as well.

On Sunday, Pau Gasol reached out to the Bryant family with a wholesome birthday tribute for Natalia, Vanessa and Kobe Bryant's oldest daughter. Natalia turned 22 on Sunday, and Gasol shared a heartwarming message for her special day.

The Spanish center posted a black-and-white photo of him hugging Natalia and added the following message to go with the pic:

"Happy birthday to the sweetest, kindest and most beautiful, @nataliabryant! Love you, Nani! ❤️"

The post has garnered plenty of attention on social media, with Vanessa Bryant also jumping into the comments section with a touching response to Gasol's post.

"So sweet! ❤️," wrote Bryant

V. Bryant responds to Pau Gasol's birthday post for Natalia Bryant. Photo Credits: Vanessa Bryant's IG account.

Pau Gasol is Natalia's godfather and has been a huge support for the Bryant family following the death of Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, in a helicopter crash in 2020.

When Gasol had his own daughter in 2020, he gave his child the middle name "Gianna" in honor of Kobe and Vanessa's daughter. He also named Vanessa Bryant the child's godmother.

Kobe Bryant is regarded as one of the most talented and competitive players in the history of the game. Over his illustrious career, he won five NBA titles and was an 18-time All-Star. Gasol and Bryant were members of the 2009 and 2010 LA Lakers teams that won championships.

Vanessa Bryant provides support for Los Angeles families following fires, reminisces her time with Kobe in Palisades

Vanessa Bryant, wife of former Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant in attendance with daughters Natalia, Bianka and Capri at Dodger Stadium. Photo Credit: Imagn

Kobe Bryant was an icon in the city of Los Angeles, and the Bryant family is doing everything they can to give back to the city following the dangerous wildfires.

Last week, Vanessa Bryant shared a series of videos and images on social media from the Baby2Baby center. The clips show volunteers working hard to put together relief packages for families affected by the tragedy.

In her Instagram post, Bryant also reminisced about living with Kobe in the Palisades area of Los Angeles.

"Kob and I used to live in the Palisades when we first got married (sadly, that home was on the street where the initial fire started). We have so many beautiful memories from living in L.A. There are no words to make all the loss and devastation any better. My heart and prayers go out to everyone in LA who are affected by the fires," wrote Bryant.

Kobe Bryant moved to Los Angeles after being selected by the Lakers in the 1996 draft. He married Vanessa in 2001, and they lived in the Pacific Palisades region before moving to Newport Coast, where Vanessa currently lives.