Pau Gasol
Encyclopedia
Pau Gasol Sáez (ˈpaw ɡəˈzɔɫ) (born July 6, 1980) is a Spanish
professional basketball
player for the Los Angeles Lakers
of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain. Gasol was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks
in the 2001 NBA Draft
, but his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
, with whom he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award
. He currently holds the Memphis Grizzlies
franchise records for career games played, minutes played, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, offensive, defensive, and total rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers, and points. After seven seasons with the team, Gasol was traded to the Lakers
on February 1, 2008. His younger brother, Marc Gasol
, who was involved in that trade, is also a professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies
of the NBA.
. He began playing basketball with his school team called Alvirne, and he eventually signed with Cornellà
. When he was sixteen, he began playing for Barcelona's
junior team. He also won both the 1998 Albert Schweitzer Tournament and the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
. After moving to the senior team of Barcelona, Gasol played just 25 total minutes in the Spanish ACB League 1998–99 season, and averaged 13.7 minutes per game in the ACB the next year. However, in his final season in the ACB, Gasol averaged 12.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game. Barcelona was victorious in the Spanish National Cup
championship game in 2001, and Gasol was named Most Valuable Player
. After entering the NBA Draft, Gasol was selected third overall in the first round in the 2001 NBA Draft
by the Atlanta Hawks
, who traded his draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies
in exchange for Shareef Abdur-Rahim
.
, and was named to the All-Rookie
first team. He averaged 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and was also the only team member to play in all 82 games that season. Gasol led the team in scoring (19.0 points per game) in his second year with the team, and for the second year in a row, played in all 82 games. Gasol missed the first game of his career, during his third year, with a foot injury on April 5, 2004, which snapped his string of 240 consecutive games played. He grabbed the 1,500th rebound of his career on November 12, 2003, against the Orlando Magic
and scored his 3,000th career point on October 31, 2003, against the Boston Celtics
. Despite having 22 points in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs
, the highest by a Memphis players in the playoffs, his team was eliminated in the first round, not winning a single game against San Antonio. This was both the Grizzlies and Gasol's first trip to the NBA Playoffs. He scored 31 points and blocked four shots on January 11, 2005, against the Indiana Pacers
to earn 5,000 points and 500 blocks in his career, becoming the 10th fastest player to reach 5,000 points/500 blocks since 1973–74. He also helped his team make it to the playoffs for the second time in his career, but they were eliminated in the first round and did not win a single game against the Phoenix Suns
.
In his fifth year with the team, he became the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder on March 24 against the New York Knicks
when he grabbed his 3,072nd rebound in a Grizzlies uniform. He made 29 consecutive free throw attempts from January 24 to January 28, tying the second best mark in Grizzlies history, including two straight games going 12–12 from the line, tying the best single-game mark in franchise history. Gasol and the Grizzlies returned to the playoffs for the third time in his and his team's history. Once again, they were eliminated in the first round and did not win a single game against the Dallas Mavericks
.
On February 9, 2006, making his first appearance, Gasol was selected to play in the 2006
NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas
as a reserve center for the Western Conference
. At the time, he was one of four players ranked among Western Conference forwards in the top ten in points, rebounds, assists and blocked shots. He was the first Spanish basketball player as well as the first Grizzlies player to ever make it to the All-Star Game.
Gasol missed the first 23 games of the 2006-07 NBA season
due to a broken foot suffered near the end of Spain
's semifinal win over Argentina
in the 2006 FIBA World Championship
. He would go on to be named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, which Spain won. He had a season-high 34 points (most by a Grizzly that season), and eight rebounds and tied a career-high and franchise record with eight blocks on January 29 against the Sacramento Kings
, and surpassed Shareef Abdur-Rahim
as the franchise's all-time leader in free throw attempts on January 31 against the Dallas Mavericks
. He became the all-time franchise leader in field goals made on February 6 against the Houston Rockets
, and became the all-time franchise leader in minutes played on February 7 at Dallas. He surpassed Shareef Abdur-Rahim (7,801 points) as the Grizzlies' all-time leading scorer on March 7, 2007, against the Toronto Raptors
(7,809 points at the time). On January 24, 2007, Gasol recorded his second career triple-double against the hosting Utah Jazz
, garnering 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. He also registered 2 blocks and one steal.
On February 1, 2008, Gasol was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
along with a 2010
second round draft pick for Kwame Brown
, Javaris Crittenton
, Aaron McKie
, the rights to Marc Gasol
(Pau's younger brother), and 2008
and 2010
first round draft picks. There has been a bit of controversy surrounding the trade. Chris Wallace
denied in an ESPN
article that he had been ordered by owner Michael Heisley
to make the Grizzlies more attractive to a potential buyer. Heisley has been trying to sell the franchise for two years. Wallace said, "No one put pressure on me to do this, and Michael Heisley has actually been reluctant to move Pau." He also said that they had been "trolling" the waters for a while and dealt with a number of teams. He selected the Lakers deal because "it didn't get any better than this." When Gasol departed the Grizzlies, he held twelve franchise records, including games played, minutes played, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, offensive, defensive, and total rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers, and points. Per game statistics, he leads Memphis in defensive and total rebounds along with blocked shots. On February 5, he made his first Lakers appearance in a game against the New Jersey Nets
, during which he scored 24 points and had 12 rebounds in a 105–90 win over the Nets. On March 14, Gasol sprained his ankle in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, stepping on the foot of teammate Vladimir Radmanović
in the first quarter. Gasol was expected to miss the remaining three games of the Lakers' road trip after x-rays came up negative. Gasol returned to the starting lineup on April 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers
and played nearly thirty-two minutes, registering 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists. He admitted to feeling limited with the swelling in his ankle still present. Gasol helped the Lakers finish the regular season with the best record in the Western Conference (57–25), with him in the starting lineup the Lakers went 22–5. Kobe Bryant
has also stated that playing with Gasol clicked from the start.
In the Lakers' opening game of the playoffs, he contributed 36 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocked shots. When the Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets
in the first round, it was Gasol's first trip to the second round in four tries. His previous team, the Grizzlies, did not make it to the playoffs for the second year in a row. He contributed 17 points and 13 rebounds in Game 6 against the Utah Jazz
to help the Lakers advance to the conference finals. On May 31, he recorded a career high 19 rebounds in a series-clinching win against the San Antonio Spurs, and he became the first Spaniard
to reach the NBA Finals. Gasol scored 14.7 points per game on .532 shooting in the 2008 NBA Finals
against the Boston Celtics
, which was below his scoring average of 18.9 during the regular season, However, he led the Lakers in rebounding with 10.2 per game throughout the championship series, up from his regular-season average of 8.4. Los Angeles lost in six games against Boston in the Finals, including a 131–92 loss in Game 6. During the 2008 NBA Playoffs
, Gasol was the second leading Laker in points (16.9), rebounds (9.3) and assists per game (4.0). He was the leader in blocks per game (1.90) and was tied with Lamar Odom with the most postseason double-doubles (10).
Gasol earned his second All-Star appearance as a reserve for the Western Conference
squad during the 2008-2009 NBA season, his first as a Laker. He was also named Western Conference Player of the Month after helping the Lakers to an 11–2 record for the month of February that included road wins over Boston and Cleveland. He finished the regular season with averages of 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1 block per game. Gasol then won his first NBA championship ring when the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic
in the 2009 NBA Finals
.
On December 24, 2009 Gasol signed a 3-year extension with the Lakers worth $64.7 million.
Gasol earned his third All-Star appearance as a reserve for the Western Conference
and finished the regular season with averages of 18.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks. In Game 6 of the first round, Gasol grabbed 18 rebounds and his last-second putback eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder
. In the conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz
, he averaged 23.5 points and 14.5 rebounds. In Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Gasol scored 19 points, (6–16 FGM-A, 7–13 FTM-A) grabbed 18 rebounds and recorded two blocks as the Lakers repeated as champions.
Challenged by Lakers' coach Phil Jackson
to be more assertive while Bryant recovered from offseason knee surgery, Gasol started the season's first week averaging 25.3 points on 52.5 percent shooting, 10.3 rebounds, and five assists per game as the Lakers started 3–0. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week. Unfortunately,the 40 minutes per night he averaged over the first month of the season seemed to take a toll on Pau. By early December, Pau was complaining about fatigue and his numbers were beginning to falter. However, once Andrew Bynum
came back into the fold, taking up a few of Pau's minutes, Gasol seemed settle in to a more comfortable position. He earned his third straight All-Star selection
and his season averages of 19 points and 10 rebounds are nearly identical to what he's put up as a Laker the previous three seasons. Pau's play also merited him All-NBA second team honors for the first time in his career. In the playoffs
Gasol's average of 13 points on 42% shooting over 10 games and lack of aggression had the Lakers team suffering all the more for it, getting swept out of the playoffs by the Mavs in the second round. Gasol had the worst post season performance of his career. Lakers Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Magic Johnson
cited Gasol as a possible trade option for the Lakers to acquire Magic
center Dwight Howard
. Gasol ignored the false reports about his relationship status with his girlfriend as the cause of his poor performance and has accepted the criticism of his play as valid.
and Dirk Nowitzki
, holding career averages of 18.8 points and 9.0 rebounds. He is a refined scorer in the post and midrange; his overall game is near-ambidextrous and makes it difficult for opposing teams to defend. Gasol uses a variety of midrange jumpers, hook shots, up-and-under moves, and shot fakes to score very efficiently. Gasol's normal jumpshot range extends to 20 feet. In addition, his foot speed relative to his size allows him to run the fast break and finish effectively. He is also a skilled passer for a big man, earning 3.2 assists per game over his career. Defensively, he is an above-average shot blocker with a career average of 1.7 blocks per game. Before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
during the 2007–08 season, he had played exclusively with the Memphis Grizzlies
from 2001–2008. When he was traded to the Lakers, he maintained the same number on his jersey, still playing with the number 16. In his career, Gasol has never been ejected
. Gasol scored his 10,000th point in a game against the Jazz on the 2nd of January 2009. He finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in the win.
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 82 || 79 || 36.7 || .518 || .200 || .709 || 8.9 || 2.7 || .5 || 2.1 || 17.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 82 || 82 || 36.0 || .510 || .100 || .736 || 8.8 || 2.8 || .4 || 1.8 || 19.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 78 || 78 || 31.5 || .482 || .267 || .714 || 7.7 || 2.5 || .6 || 1.7 || 17.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 56 || 53 || 32.0 || .514 || .167 || .768 || 7.3 || 2.4 || .7 || 1.7 || 17.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 80 || 80 || 39.2 || .503 || .250 || .689 || 8.9 || 4.6 || .6 || 1.9 || 20.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 59 || 59 || 36.2 || .538 || .273 || .748 || 9.8 || 3.4 || .5 || 2.1 || 20.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 39 || 39 || 36.7 || .501 || .267 || .819 || 8.8 || 3.0 || .4 || 1.4 || 18.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 27 || 27 || 34.0 || .589 || .000 || .789 || 7.8 || 3.5 || .5 || 1.6 || 18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 81 || 81 || 37.0 || .567 || .500 || .781 || 9.6 || 3.5 || .6 || 1.0 || 18.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 65 || 65 || 37.0 || .536 || .000 || .790 || 11.3 || 3.4 || .6 || 1.7 || 18.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 37.0 || .529 || .333 || .823 || 10.2 || 3.3 || .6 || 1.6 || 18.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 731 || 725 || 35.9 || .522 || .224 || .751 || 9.1 || 3.2 || .5 || 1.7 || 18.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 4 || 0 || 19.0 || .563 || .000 || .889 || 8.25 || 1 || .3 || .75 || 11.0
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 33.5 || .571 || .000 || .900 || 5.0 || 2.5 || 1.0 || 1.5 || 18.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 33.3 || .488 || 1.000 || .500 || 7.5 || 2.5 || .5 || 1.8 || 21.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 39.5 || .433 || .000 || .767 || 6.8 || 3.0 || .5 || 1.2 || 20.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 21 || 21 || 39.8 || .530 || .000 || .692 || 9.3 || 4.0 || .5 || 1.9 || 16.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 23 || 23 || 40.5 || .580 || .000 || .714 || 10.8 || 2.5 || .8 || 2.0 || 18.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 23 || 23 || 39.7 || .539 || .000 || .759 || 11.1 || 3.5 || .4 || 2.1 || 19.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 10 || 10 || 35.8 || .420 || .500 || .800 || 7.8 || 3.8 || .4 || 1.7 || 13.1
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 89 || 89 || 38.9 || .527 || .286 || .737 || 9.6 || 3.3 || .6 || 1.9 || 17.9
, but he was born in Barcelona
, at Sant Pau Hospital
, where both of his parents worked. When he was six years old, his family moved to another Barcelona suburb, Sant Boi de Llobregat
, where he spent the remainder of his childhood. His parents moved to the Memphis suburb of Germantown, Tennessee
after he signed with the Grizzlies, and enrolled his younger brothers Marc
and Adrià in Lausanne Collegiate School
in Memphis. They planned to move to the Los Angeles area when Pau was traded to the Lakers, with Agustí accepting a job with a health-care company in that area; although the Grizzlies obtained the rights to Marc's services as part of the trade, he was expected to re-sign with his Spanish team Akasvayu Girona
. However, when Marc decided to sign with the Grizzlies, their parents chose to stay in Germantown. Agustí now works from home for the same company, while Marisa now volunteers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
.
Gasol was never interested in football, but loved basketball. The first sport he played was actually rugby
, before switching to basketball. He is described as "a family boy and the perfect student, a tad shy, and a bit of a joker."
He originally did not want to make sports his career. On the day that Magic Johnson
announced his HIV
-positive status in 1991, the 11-year-old Gasol, who had heard the news in school, decided that he wanted to be a doctor
and find a cure for AIDS
. He enrolled in medical school at the University of Barcelona
, but left as his basketball career at FC Barcelona advanced. He remains strongly interested in medicine. Gasol regularly visits Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, a standard stop for athletes making charitable visits in the L.A. area, but does not limit his business to visiting young patients. On one visit, he asked a group of doctors well-informed questions about their treatment of children with scoliosis
. In April 2010, Gasol was scheduled to sit in on a spinal surgery, wearing surgical scrubs, with Dr. David Skaggs, the hospital's chief of orthopedic surgery. Skaggs has said, "We talk to him now almost like he is a surgical colleague."
Gasol canceled his original plans to observe a surgery when he came down with a low-grade fever the day before the operation, not wishing to risk infecting anyone at the hospital. He was able to reschedule his observation for June 2010, witnessing Skaggs lead a team operating on a 13-year-old girl from Colorado with scoliosis.
Gasol also has a broad range of intellectual and cultural interests. He has taught himself Italian and French to go along with his childhood languages of Catalan
and Spanish plus English. He and Kobe Bryant
speak to one another during games in Spanish to keep opponents from knowing their plans. Gasol also regularly reads historical novels, plays the works of French classical composers on his keyboard, and attends concerts and operas; he is a friend of Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo
, and often visits him backstage after performances.
His younger brother Marc, who is 216 centimetre tall and 127 kilograms (280 lb), is also a professional basketball player, currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies
. Marc was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers
, 48th overall, in the 2007 NBA Draft
and his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, as part of the deal that sent Gasol to the Lakers. Their youngest brother Adrià played for Lausanne's basketball team; his coach at Lausanne said, "He's built like Pau, with a mean streak like Marc," although he is not yet considered a major basketball prospect.
Gasol denied false reports that he had broken up with his girlfriend, Silvia Lopez Castro, in the exit interviews after his poor performance in the 2011 NBA Playoffs
.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player for the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain. Gasol was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
in the 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
, but his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, with whom he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
. He currently holds the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
franchise records for career games played, minutes played, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, offensive, defensive, and total rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers, and points. After seven seasons with the team, Gasol was traded to the Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on February 1, 2008. His younger brother, Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol i Sàez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He was drafted in the second round, 48th overall, by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2007 NBA Draft...
, who was involved in that trade, is also a professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
of the NBA.
FC Barcelona (1998–2001)
Pau Gasol was born in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. He began playing basketball with his school team called Alvirne, and he eventually signed with Cornellà
CB Cornellà
Club Bàsquet Cornellà is a professional Basketball team based in Cornellà de Llobregat, Catalonia. The team currently plays in league Liga EBA.Since the 90s until 2010, CB Cornellà worked as farm team of FC Barcelona...
. When he was sixteen, he began playing for Barcelona's
FC Barcelona Bàsquet
FC Barcelona Bàsquet, known as FC Barcelona Regal for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club. It is part of the FC Barcelona sports club and was founded on August 24, 1926 which makes it the oldest club in Liga ACB. The club competes in the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto...
junior team. He also won both the 1998 Albert Schweitzer Tournament and the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was inaugurated in 1964 and for the following 40 years it had been held biannually. From 2004 onwards, it is held every year.-Summaries:-Performances by nation:...
. After moving to the senior team of Barcelona, Gasol played just 25 total minutes in the Spanish ACB League 1998–99 season, and averaged 13.7 minutes per game in the ACB the next year. However, in his final season in the ACB, Gasol averaged 12.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game. Barcelona was victorious in the Spanish National Cup
Copa del Rey de Baloncesto
The Copa del Rey de Baloncesto is an annual cup competition for Spanish basketball teams organized by Spain's top professional league, Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto. It was originally known as the Copa de España de Baloncesto and was first played in 1933. It was the first nationwide...
championship game in 2001, and Gasol was named Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. After entering the NBA Draft, Gasol was selected third overall in the first round in the 2001 NBA Draft
2001 NBA Draft
The 2001 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 2001 in New York City, New York. Kwame Brown became the first high school player drafted with the first overall pick...
by the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, who traded his draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
in exchange for Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association . On the basketball court, he played both forward or center positions. Abdur-Rahim was a...
.
Memphis Grizzlies (2001–2008)
In Gasol's first season with the Grizzlies, he won the Rookie of the Year AwardNBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
, and was named to the All-Rookie
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
first team. He averaged 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and was also the only team member to play in all 82 games that season. Gasol led the team in scoring (19.0 points per game) in his second year with the team, and for the second year in a row, played in all 82 games. Gasol missed the first game of his career, during his third year, with a foot injury on April 5, 2004, which snapped his string of 240 consecutive games played. He grabbed the 1,500th rebound of his career on November 12, 2003, against the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
and scored his 3,000th career point on October 31, 2003, against the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. Despite having 22 points in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, the highest by a Memphis players in the playoffs, his team was eliminated in the first round, not winning a single game against San Antonio. This was both the Grizzlies and Gasol's first trip to the NBA Playoffs. He scored 31 points and blocked four shots on January 11, 2005, against the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
to earn 5,000 points and 500 blocks in his career, becoming the 10th fastest player to reach 5,000 points/500 blocks since 1973–74. He also helped his team make it to the playoffs for the second time in his career, but they were eliminated in the first round and did not win a single game against the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
.
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
when he grabbed his 3,072nd rebound in a Grizzlies uniform. He made 29 consecutive free throw attempts from January 24 to January 28, tying the second best mark in Grizzlies history, including two straight games going 12–12 from the line, tying the best single-game mark in franchise history. Gasol and the Grizzlies returned to the playoffs for the third time in his and his team's history. Once again, they were eliminated in the first round and did not win a single game against the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
.
On February 9, 2006, making his first appearance, Gasol was selected to play in the 2006
2005-06 NBA season
The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. It began on November 1, 2005 and ran through April 19, 2006...
NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
as a reserve center for the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
. At the time, he was one of four players ranked among Western Conference forwards in the top ten in points, rebounds, assists and blocked shots. He was the first Spanish basketball player as well as the first Grizzlies player to ever make it to the All-Star Game.
Gasol missed the first 23 games of the 2006-07 NBA season
2006-07 NBA season
The 2006–07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season began on October 31, 2006 and ran through April 18, 2007. The league fielded 30 teams, each playing an 82 game regular season schedule. The top eight seeds from each conference reached the NBA...
due to a broken foot suffered near the end of Spain
Spain national basketball team
The Spanish national basketball team is the basketball team representing Spain in international competitions, organized and run by the Spanish Basketball Federation...
's semifinal win over Argentina
Argentina national basketball team
The Argentina national basketball team represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and is controlled by the Argentine Basketball Federation....
in the 2006 FIBA World Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
. He would go on to be named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, which Spain won. He had a season-high 34 points (most by a Grizzly that season), and eight rebounds and tied a career-high and franchise record with eight blocks on January 29 against the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, and surpassed Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association . On the basketball court, he played both forward or center positions. Abdur-Rahim was a...
as the franchise's all-time leader in free throw attempts on January 31 against the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. He became the all-time franchise leader in field goals made on February 6 against the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
, and became the all-time franchise leader in minutes played on February 7 at Dallas. He surpassed Shareef Abdur-Rahim (7,801 points) as the Grizzlies' all-time leading scorer on March 7, 2007, against the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
(7,809 points at the time). On January 24, 2007, Gasol recorded his second career triple-double against the hosting Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, garnering 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. He also registered 2 blocks and one steal.
Los Angeles Lakers (2008–present)
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
along with a 2010
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
second round draft pick for Kwame Brown
Kwame Brown
Kwame James Brown is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Charlotte Bobcats. The , center was the 1st overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, and was the first number one draft pick to be selected straight out of high school...
, Javaris Crittenton
Javaris Crittenton
Javaris Cortez Crittenton is an American professional basketball player who has most recently played for the Dakota Wizards of the NBA D-League. He was previously the starting point guard for the Georgia Tech men's basketball team....
, Aaron McKie
Aaron McKie
Aaron Fitzgerald McKie is an American former professional basketball player in the NBA and currently an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers...
, the rights to Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol i Sàez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He was drafted in the second round, 48th overall, by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2007 NBA Draft...
(Pau's younger brother), and 2008
2008 NBA Draft
The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
and 2010
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
first round draft picks. There has been a bit of controversy surrounding the trade. Chris Wallace
Chris Wallace (NBA General Manager)
Chris Wallace, from Buckhannon, West Virginia is the general manager and vice president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team in the National Basketball Association ....
denied in an ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
article that he had been ordered by owner Michael Heisley
Michael Heisley
Michael E. Heisley is an American businessman who is the majority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies. He orchestrated the move of the team from Vancouver in 2001, after promising to keep the franchise in Vancouver when he purchased it in 2000...
to make the Grizzlies more attractive to a potential buyer. Heisley has been trying to sell the franchise for two years. Wallace said, "No one put pressure on me to do this, and Michael Heisley has actually been reluctant to move Pau." He also said that they had been "trolling" the waters for a while and dealt with a number of teams. He selected the Lakers deal because "it didn't get any better than this." When Gasol departed the Grizzlies, he held twelve franchise records, including games played, minutes played, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, offensive, defensive, and total rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers, and points. Per game statistics, he leads Memphis in defensive and total rebounds along with blocked shots. On February 5, he made his first Lakers appearance in a game against the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, during which he scored 24 points and had 12 rebounds in a 105–90 win over the Nets. On March 14, Gasol sprained his ankle in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, stepping on the foot of teammate Vladimir Radmanović
Vladimir Radmanovic
Vladimir Radmanović is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association...
in the first quarter. Gasol was expected to miss the remaining three games of the Lakers' road trip after x-rays came up negative. Gasol returned to the starting lineup on April 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
and played nearly thirty-two minutes, registering 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists. He admitted to feeling limited with the swelling in his ankle still present. Gasol helped the Lakers finish the regular season with the best record in the Western Conference (57–25), with him in the starting lineup the Lakers went 22–5. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
has also stated that playing with Gasol clicked from the start.
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
in the first round, it was Gasol's first trip to the second round in four tries. His previous team, the Grizzlies, did not make it to the playoffs for the second year in a row. He contributed 17 points and 13 rebounds in Game 6 against the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
to help the Lakers advance to the conference finals. On May 31, he recorded a career high 19 rebounds in a series-clinching win against the San Antonio Spurs, and he became the first Spaniard
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
to reach the NBA Finals. Gasol scored 14.7 points per game on .532 shooting in the 2008 NBA Finals
2008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
against the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, which was below his scoring average of 18.9 during the regular season, However, he led the Lakers in rebounding with 10.2 per game throughout the championship series, up from his regular-season average of 8.4. Los Angeles lost in six games against Boston in the Finals, including a 131–92 loss in Game 6. During the 2008 NBA Playoffs
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
, Gasol was the second leading Laker in points (16.9), rebounds (9.3) and assists per game (4.0). He was the leader in blocks per game (1.90) and was tied with Lamar Odom with the most postseason double-doubles (10).
Gasol earned his second All-Star appearance as a reserve for the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
squad during the 2008-2009 NBA season, his first as a Laker. He was also named Western Conference Player of the Month after helping the Lakers to an 11–2 record for the month of February that included road wins over Boston and Cleveland. He finished the regular season with averages of 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1 block per game. Gasol then won his first NBA championship ring when the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in the 2009 NBA Finals
2009 NBA Finals
The 2009 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2008-09 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending Western Conference champions, and the Orlando Magic, champions of the...
.
On December 24, 2009 Gasol signed a 3-year extension with the Lakers worth $64.7 million.
Gasol earned his third All-Star appearance as a reserve for the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
and finished the regular season with averages of 18.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks. In Game 6 of the first round, Gasol grabbed 18 rebounds and his last-second putback eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
. In the conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, he averaged 23.5 points and 14.5 rebounds. In Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Gasol scored 19 points, (6–16 FGM-A, 7–13 FTM-A) grabbed 18 rebounds and recorded two blocks as the Lakers repeated as champions.
Challenged by Lakers' coach Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
to be more assertive while Bryant recovered from offseason knee surgery, Gasol started the season's first week averaging 25.3 points on 52.5 percent shooting, 10.3 rebounds, and five assists per game as the Lakers started 3–0. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week. Unfortunately,the 40 minutes per night he averaged over the first month of the season seemed to take a toll on Pau. By early December, Pau was complaining about fatigue and his numbers were beginning to falter. However, once Andrew Bynum
Andrew Bynum
Andrew Bynum is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . He was drafted 10th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005. Bynum became the youngest player ever to play an NBA game later that year, breaking Jermaine...
came back into the fold, taking up a few of Pau's minutes, Gasol seemed settle in to a more comfortable position. He earned his third straight All-Star selection
2011 NBA All-Star Game
The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers. This game was the 60th edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was...
and his season averages of 19 points and 10 rebounds are nearly identical to what he's put up as a Laker the previous three seasons. Pau's play also merited him All-NBA second team honors for the first time in his career. In the playoffs
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
Gasol's average of 13 points on 42% shooting over 10 games and lack of aggression had the Lakers team suffering all the more for it, getting swept out of the playoffs by the Mavs in the second round. Gasol had the worst post season performance of his career. Lakers Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
cited Gasol as a possible trade option for the Lakers to acquire Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
center Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
. Gasol ignored the false reports about his relationship status with his girlfriend as the cause of his poor performance and has accepted the criticism of his play as valid.
Player profile
Gasol is very athletic and quick for a 7-footer (213 cm), and primarily plays the power forward and center positions. He has often been compared to fellow European players Toni KukočToni Kukoc
Toni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
and Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
, holding career averages of 18.8 points and 9.0 rebounds. He is a refined scorer in the post and midrange; his overall game is near-ambidextrous and makes it difficult for opposing teams to defend. Gasol uses a variety of midrange jumpers, hook shots, up-and-under moves, and shot fakes to score very efficiently. Gasol's normal jumpshot range extends to 20 feet. In addition, his foot speed relative to his size allows him to run the fast break and finish effectively. He is also a skilled passer for a big man, earning 3.2 assists per game over his career. Defensively, he is an above-average shot blocker with a career average of 1.7 blocks per game. Before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
during the 2007–08 season, he had played exclusively with the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
from 2001–2008. When he was traded to the Lakers, he maintained the same number on his jersey, still playing with the number 16. In his career, Gasol has never been ejected
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
. Gasol scored his 10,000th point in a game against the Jazz on the 2nd of January 2009. He finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in the win.
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 82 || 79 || 36.7 || .518 || .200 || .709 || 8.9 || 2.7 || .5 || 2.1 || 17.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 82 || 82 || 36.0 || .510 || .100 || .736 || 8.8 || 2.8 || .4 || 1.8 || 19.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 78 || 78 || 31.5 || .482 || .267 || .714 || 7.7 || 2.5 || .6 || 1.7 || 17.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 56 || 53 || 32.0 || .514 || .167 || .768 || 7.3 || 2.4 || .7 || 1.7 || 17.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 80 || 80 || 39.2 || .503 || .250 || .689 || 8.9 || 4.6 || .6 || 1.9 || 20.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 59 || 59 || 36.2 || .538 || .273 || .748 || 9.8 || 3.4 || .5 || 2.1 || 20.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 39 || 39 || 36.7 || .501 || .267 || .819 || 8.8 || 3.0 || .4 || 1.4 || 18.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 27 || 27 || 34.0 || .589 || .000 || .789 || 7.8 || 3.5 || .5 || 1.6 || 18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 81 || 81 || 37.0 || .567 || .500 || .781 || 9.6 || 3.5 || .6 || 1.0 || 18.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 65 || 65 || 37.0 || .536 || .000 || .790 || 11.3 || 3.4 || .6 || 1.7 || 18.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 37.0 || .529 || .333 || .823 || 10.2 || 3.3 || .6 || 1.6 || 18.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 731 || 725 || 35.9 || .522 || .224 || .751 || 9.1 || 3.2 || .5 || 1.7 || 18.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 4 || 0 || 19.0 || .563 || .000 || .889 || 8.25 || 1 || .3 || .75 || 11.0
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 4 || 4 || 33.5 || .571 || .000 || .900 || 5.0 || 2.5 || 1.0 || 1.5 || 18.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 33.3 || .488 || 1.000 || .500 || 7.5 || 2.5 || .5 || 1.8 || 21.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis
| 4 || 4 || 39.5 || .433 || .000 || .767 || 6.8 || 3.0 || .5 || 1.2 || 20.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 21 || 21 || 39.8 || .530 || .000 || .692 || 9.3 || 4.0 || .5 || 1.9 || 16.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 23 || 23 || 40.5 || .580 || .000 || .714 || 10.8 || 2.5 || .8 || 2.0 || 18.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 23 || 23 || 39.7 || .539 || .000 || .759 || 11.1 || 3.5 || .4 || 2.1 || 19.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 10 || 10 || 35.8 || .420 || .500 || .800 || 7.8 || 3.8 || .4 || 1.7 || 13.1
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 89 || 89 || 38.9 || .527 || .286 || .737 || 9.6 || 3.3 || .6 || 1.9 || 17.9
FC Barcelona
- Spanish King's CupCopa del Rey de BaloncestoThe Copa del Rey de Baloncesto is an annual cup competition for Spanish basketball teams organized by Spain's top professional league, Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto. It was originally known as the Copa de España de Baloncesto and was first played in 1933. It was the first nationwide...
Champion (2000) - Most Valuable PlayerMost Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the Spanish King's Cup (2001) - Spanish League Champion (2001)
- Spanish League Finals MVPACB Finals Most Valuable Player AwardThe Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto first named an ACB Finals Most Valuable Player after the 1990-91 ACB season. Since then, only one player has won the award more than once: Arvydas Sabonis.-All-time award winners:...
(2001) - All-Euroleague Second Team (2001)
NBA
- 2× NBA Champion (2009, 2010)
- NBA Rookie of the YearNBA Rookie of the Year AwardThe National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
(2002) - All-NBA Second Team selection (2011)
- 2× All-NBA Third Team selection (2009, 2010)
- 4× NBA All-Star (2006, 2009, 2010, 2011)
European Player of the Year awards
- 7× European Player of the YearEuropean Basketball Player of the Year AwardsThe European Basketball Player of the Year Awards are the three awards given out on a yearly basis to the best male European basketball player of the year. More specifically, those are the Mr. Europa award, which began in 1976, the Euroscar, established in 1979, and the FIBA Europe Player of the...
:- 2x Mr. EuropaMr. EuropaThe Mister Europa European Player of the Year Award is an annual basketball award created in 1976 and given today by the panel of journalists of the Italian weekly magazine Superbasket. Its purpose is to praise the best European basketball player, regardless of where he plays in the world,...
(2004, 2009) - 3x Euroscar AwardEuroscar AwardThe Euroscar European Player of the Year Award known as European basketball's Oscar award, is an annual basketball award that started in 1979. The award names each year's best European basketball player, regardless of where he plays in the world, including NBA players. The award is judged on the...
(2008, 2009, 2010) - 2x FIBA Europe Player of the YearFIBA Europe Player of the Year AwardThe FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award is an annual official FIBA Europe award inaugurated in the year 2005, with awards given for both men and women. The winner is a European basketball player whose performances with his or her sports club and/or national team throughout the year have reached...
(2008, 2009)
- 2x Mr. Europa
Spanish national team
- Gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the FIBA Europe Under-18 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-18 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-18 Championship was inaugurated in 1964 and for the following 40 years it had been held biannually. From 2004 onwards, it is held every year.-Summaries:-Performances by nation:...
(1998) - Gold medal at the FIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipFIBA Under-19 World ChampionshipThe FIBA Under-19 World Championship is a men's under-19 only basketball competition organized by FIBA. From its inauguration in 1979 until 2007 it was held every four years...
(1999) - Bronze medalBronze medalA bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
at the FIBA Europe Under-20 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-20 ChampionshipFIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, previously known as European Championship for Men 'Under22 and Under, is a basketball competition inaugurated in 1992. Until 2004 it was held biannually, but from 2004 onwards it is held every year. The current champions are Spain.Since 2005, a second level...
(2000) - Bronze medal at the EuroBasket 2001EuroBasket 2001The EuroBasket 2001 was the 32nd EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Turkey, began on 31 August 2001 and concluded with the final on 9 September 2001. Yugoslavia won the gold medal,...
- Silver medalSilver medalA silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the EuroBasket 2003Eurobasket 2003-5th to 8th place:-Awards:-All-Tournament Team : Tony Parker Šarūnas Jasikevičius Saulius Štombergas Andrei Kirilenko Pau Gasol-Top scorers :# Pau Gasol 25.8# Andrei Kirilenko 23.1# Dirk Nowitzki 22.5# Mehmet Okur 18.7... - Gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship2006 FIBA World ChampionshipThe 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
- Most Valuable player of the 2006 FIBA World Championship
- Silver medal at the EuroBasket 2007Eurobasket 2007-Group B:-Group C:-Group D:-Second round:- Group E :- Group F :-Championship bracket:- Quarterfinals :-Classification rounds:- Semifinals :- Third place game:- Final :...
- Silver medal at 2008 Olympic Basketball TournamentBasketball at the 2008 Summer OlympicsBasketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China...
- Gold medal at the EuroBasket 2009EuroBasket 2009The EuroBasket 2009 was the 36th EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Poland, began on 7 September 2009 and concluded with the final on 20 September 2009...
- Gold medal at the EuroBasket 2011Eurobasket 2011EuroBasket 2011 was the 37th men's European Basketball Championship, held by FIBA Europe. The competition was hosted by Lithuania. This was the second time Eurobasket had been held in Lithuania, the country having also hosted the 1939 championship. FIBA Europe asserted that Lithuania managed to...
Personal life
Gasol's mother, Marisa, was a medical doctor, and his father, Agustí, was a nurse administrator. When Pau was born, his family was living in CornellàCornellà de Llobregat
Cornellà de Llobregat is a municipality in the comarca of the Baix Llobregat inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the left bank of the Llobregat river.- History :...
, but he was born in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, at Sant Pau Hospital
Hospital de Sant Pau
The present Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in the neighborhood of El Guinardó, Barcelona, Catalonia , is a complex built between 1901 and 1930, designed by the Catalan modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Together with Palau de la Música Catalana, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
, where both of his parents worked. When he was six years old, his family moved to another Barcelona suburb, Sant Boi de Llobregat
Sant Boi de Llobregat
Sant Boi de Llobregat is a town of 80,000 inhabitants in the Barcelona province in Catalonia, located aside the Llobregat river.The town distributes its territory into six districts: Ciutat Cooperativa-Molí Nou, Marianao-Can Paulet, Barri Centre, Vinyets-Molí Vell, Camps Blancs-Canons-Orioles and...
, where he spent the remainder of his childhood. His parents moved to the Memphis suburb of Germantown, Tennessee
Germantown, Tennessee
Germantown is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee. The population was 38,844 at the 2010 census.Germantown is a suburb of Memphis, bordering it to the east. Germantown's economy is dominated by the retail and commercial service sectors; there is no heavy industry in Germantown...
after he signed with the Grizzlies, and enrolled his younger brothers Marc
Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol i Sàez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He was drafted in the second round, 48th overall, by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2007 NBA Draft...
and Adrià in Lausanne Collegiate School
Lausanne Collegiate School
Lausanne Collegiate School, originally known as Lausanne School for Girls, is an independent, coeducational, nonsectarian school in Memphis, Tennessee, for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade...
in Memphis. They planned to move to the Los Angeles area when Pau was traded to the Lakers, with Agustí accepting a job with a health-care company in that area; although the Grizzlies obtained the rights to Marc's services as part of the trade, he was expected to re-sign with his Spanish team Akasvayu Girona
CB Sant Josep
Club Bàsquet Sant Josep is a professional basketball team based in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. The team is currently playing in LEB Oro. By sponsorship reasons, the club is also known as Girona FC.-History:...
. However, when Marc decided to sign with the Grizzlies, their parents chose to stay in Germantown. Agustí now works from home for the same company, while Marisa now volunteers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children's catastrophic diseases. It is located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a nonprofit medical corporation chartered as a 501 tax-exempt organization under IRS regulations.In...
.
Gasol was never interested in football, but loved basketball. The first sport he played was actually rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, before switching to basketball. He is described as "a family boy and the perfect student, a tad shy, and a bit of a joker."
He originally did not want to make sports his career. On the day that Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
announced his HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
-positive status in 1991, the 11-year-old Gasol, who had heard the news in school, decided that he wanted to be a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and find a cure for AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. He enrolled in medical school at the University of Barcelona
University of Barcelona
The University of Barcelona is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia in Spain. It is a member of the Coimbra Group, LERU, European University Association, Mediterranean Universities Union, International Research Universities Network and Vives Network...
, but left as his basketball career at FC Barcelona advanced. He remains strongly interested in medicine. Gasol regularly visits Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, a standard stop for athletes making charitable visits in the L.A. area, but does not limit his business to visiting young patients. On one visit, he asked a group of doctors well-informed questions about their treatment of children with scoliosis
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side. Although it is a complex three-dimensional deformity, on an X-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line...
. In April 2010, Gasol was scheduled to sit in on a spinal surgery, wearing surgical scrubs, with Dr. David Skaggs, the hospital's chief of orthopedic surgery. Skaggs has said, "We talk to him now almost like he is a surgical colleague."
Gasol canceled his original plans to observe a surgery when he came down with a low-grade fever the day before the operation, not wishing to risk infecting anyone at the hospital. He was able to reschedule his observation for June 2010, witnessing Skaggs lead a team operating on a 13-year-old girl from Colorado with scoliosis.
Gasol also has a broad range of intellectual and cultural interests. He has taught himself Italian and French to go along with his childhood languages of Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
and Spanish plus English. He and Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
speak to one another during games in Spanish to keep opponents from knowing their plans. Gasol also regularly reads historical novels, plays the works of French classical composers on his keyboard, and attends concerts and operas; he is a friend of Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, and often visits him backstage after performances.
His younger brother Marc, who is 216 centimetre tall and 127 kilograms (280 lb), is also a professional basketball player, currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
. Marc was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, 48th overall, in the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
and his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, as part of the deal that sent Gasol to the Lakers. Their youngest brother Adrià played for Lausanne's basketball team; his coach at Lausanne said, "He's built like Pau, with a mean streak like Marc," although he is not yet considered a major basketball prospect.
Gasol denied false reports that he had broken up with his girlfriend, Silvia Lopez Castro, in the exit interviews after his poor performance in the 2011 NBA Playoffs
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
.
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders