In a five-minute video posted to his X account, Gasol talked concerning the “finish of a chapter” — in three totally different languages. The video confirmed the previous Defensive Participant of the 12 months and NBA champion beginning his day at Bàsquet Girona, the Spanish League membership he based in 2014.
Gasol sank a shot within the empty gymnasium and requested, “What’s subsequent?”
Gasol had an odd, meandering path to the NBA, which his retirement video confirmed. He was born and raised in Barcelona, Spain, however moved to Memphis together with his mother and father when the Grizzlies drafted his brother, Corridor of Famer Pau Gasol, in 2001.
After a stellar highschool profession by which he earned the nickname, “The Massive Burrito,” Gasol returned to Span and performed professionally for CB Girona till 2008, a season that ended with him being named MVP of the Spanish League.
Then his crew collapsed financially.
Whereas dwelling in Spain in 2007, the youthful Gasol was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. One yr later, he was traded to Memphis in a deal that despatched Pau to the Lakers — the primary time in NBA historical past that brothers have been traded for each other. Along with his dwelling crew gone, Gasol headed to the NBA for the 2008-09 season.
By 2011, Gasol led the Grizzlies to their first playoff win, after which their first playoff sequence win. In 2011-12, he was named an All-Star for the primary time. In 2012-13, he earned the NBA’s Defensive Participant of the 12 months award. And in 2014-15, he began within the All-Star recreation earlier than the 55-win Grizzlies gave the eventual champion Golden State Warriors arguably their hardest problem of the playoffs.
Gasol acknowledged that in Memphis he “discovered a second dwelling. … And doubtless a greater coiffure.”
In 2019, Memphis traded Gasol to the Toronto Raptors. He began at middle all through Toronto’s run to an NBA title, shutting down stars like Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokoumpo alongside the best way.
