Former NBA player Marc Gasol has announced his retirement from basketball at the age of 39. In a press conference held in Barcelona (Spain) and accompanied by his family, one of the best Spanish and European basketball players in history confirmed the news after a year off the court.
"It's time to step aside. Part of me had my mind made up. It has been a hard process and there is a part of me that does not agree with it, but now is the time to give back everything they have taught me," said Pau Gasol's little brother. "A part of me still says 'you can play'... but no, no. I approach it as the natural and necessary step. Last year I had a hard time finishing the season, my body was at its limit. In November, we sat down and we began to finalize this decision."
The Spanish center published a video on his social networks saying goodbye to his followers and explained that he will continue to be linked to basketball with Bàsquet Girona, a Spanish franchise that he founded in 2014 and that he currently presides over.
- Final d’un capítol. Gràcies
- End of a chapter. Thank you
- Final de un capítulo. Gracias pic.twitter.com/p6qeigl4BE— Marc Gasol (@MarcGasol) January 31, 2024
NBA champion
Gasol landed in the NBA in 2008. Previously, he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2007 Draft, 48th overall in the second round. The yellow and purple franchise transferred the rights of the Spanish center to the Memphis Grizzlies, the team with which he debuted on October 29, 2008 against the Houston Rockets.
He remained on the Tennessee team until 2019, when he was traded to the Toronto Raptors. With the Canadian franchise he won his first and only Ring in the only season he played with their shirt. In 2020, he moved to Los Angeles to play his last season in the NBA with the Lakers and, in 2021, he packed his bags and returned to Europe to finish his career. During his career in the NBA, Gasol played a total of 990 games, divided into 891 in the regular season and 99 in the playoffs.
With the Spanish team, he was a two-time World Cup champion and two-time Eurobasket champion. In Spain, the only country where he played outside the United States, he won an ACB League (currently called Liga Endesa, Spanish first division).
