His career spanned more than two decades and earned him two NBA titles and a World Championship gold medal with the Spain national team
Wishing his “big brother” Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol finally ended a basketball career that “exceeded my dreams and expectations.”
Gasol announced his retirement from basketball on October 5 after a career that spanned more than two decades and earned him two NBA titles and world championship gold with the Spain national team.
“After all, playing with everything I’ve done until I’m 41, I think it’s not that bad,” Gasol said. “I am so happy and so grateful to have received so much of the career I had and so much affection and support.”
Gasol announced his departure from international basketball in August, after Spain lost to the United States in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Games, marking their fifth Olympics.
Gasol has been with Spanish club Barcelona since February. Earlier his career came to a halt as a left leg injury prevented him from playing for almost two years.
“I’m going to retire from professional basketball,” Gasol said. “It’s a tough decision after all these years, but it’s a decision I’ve really considered.”
The retirement was announced at an event at an opera house in Barcelona, attended by former teammates and family members, including his wife, younger daughter and younger brother Mark.
Gasol suffocated at the mention of a missing person – Bryant, his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate who died in a helicopter crash last year.
“I’d really love for him to be here,” Gasol said. “Sometimes life can be very unfair and we miss him and his daughter ‘Gigi’ dearly. He taught me to be a better leader, a better competitor. He showed me what it meant to be a winner. I’ve always Considered he’s my older brother, so thanks, Kobe.”
Gasol said it was a risk to continue playing because his fractured leg could worsen and that he was “only able to swim and ride a bicycle for the rest of his life. He added that he had to stay at home more.” wanted to spend more time doing other things.”
Gasol said he did everything possible to come back from a leg injury and was happy to be able to fulfill his dream of playing in front of his daughter.
“It’s been one of the most beautiful periods of my career,” he said. “And playing with the Spanish national team again was something very special. We didn’t get medals (at the Tokyo Olympics), but just being able to play was a big success for me. “
Gasol won two NBA titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, and averaged 17 points and 9.2 rebounds in 1,226 regular-season games with five NBA teams, playing as a center and power forward. His other teams were the Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks. 3 pick in the 2001 NBA draft, was selected by Atlanta and traded to Memphis.
Gasol last played in the NBA in 2019 with the Bucks. He signed with the Portland Trail Blazers that year, but never got around to playing.
In addition to the European title in 2009, 2011 and 2015, Gasol won the World Championship title with Spain in 2006.
He helped Spain win Olympic silver medals in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012, as well as a bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Gasol recently won the election to represent athletes for the next seven years on the International Olympic Committee. He joins an individually drawn IOC membership list drawn from 12 athletes selected by European and Middle East royal families, international sporting bodies, business leaders and their peers.
Gasol said he had been preparing for life after retirement for some time and would start new projects that would include work with his foundation, the IOC and UNICEF.
He said he could move into the consulting and executive worlds, and has begun contacting some of the NBA teams to discuss ideas.
“I tried to be the best I could be, but if you take on the role of being a leader, you have to take on some responsibilities and that’s what I want to do,” Gasol said. “I want to give back to the sport and society everything they have given me.”
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