Following a 20-year basketball career that saw him start and finish his playing career in his native Spain and make three NBA time in North America, Marc Gasol announced his retirement on Wednesday.
Prior to declaring for the 2007 NBA Draft and the Los Angeles Lakers choosing him 48th overall, Gasol, 39, played for FC Barcelona and CB Girona. His rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2007–08 season while he was still with Girona, as part of a deal that sent his older brother, Pau, to the Lakers.
Marc Gasol eclipsed Pau’s record as the franchise rookie with the highest field-goal percentage (53%), after joining the Grizzlies for the 2008–09 campaign. After finishing his debut NBA season with an average of 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Gasol was moved to the Toronto Raptors in February 2019 after spending ten years with the Grizzlies. The Raptors would defeat the Golden State Warriors in six games later that season to capture the NBA title. Following Pau’s two victories with the Lakers, the Gasol brothers became the first brothers to win an NBA Championship.
Marc Gasol signed with the Lakers for the COVID-19 shortened 2020–21 season after spending one more season in Toronto. He was traded back to the Grizzlies the following September, but he had made the decision to stay in Spain and had no intention of playing for the team again. After helping Bàsquet Girona, the team he established in 2014, advance to Liga ACB, Gasol would join with them.
In the international arena, Gasol made a significant contribution to Spain, which won two gold medals at the FIBA World Cup, two silver medals at the Olympics in 2008 and 2012, two gold medals at the FIBA Eurobasket, and one bronze medal.
In addition to being voted Defensive Player of the Year and being named to the All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive Second Team during the 2012–13 season, Gasol completed his NBA career as a three-time All-Star. The Grizzlies are allegedly planning to retire his No. 33 jersey. Upon the conclusion of the 2014–15 season, he was included in the All–NBA First Team.
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