Janice R. Andrews
Basketball legend Marc Gasol announced his decision to retire from the game with emotion on Wednesday, capping an incredible 20-year career that took him from his native Spain to the hallowed halls of the NBA. Gasol, 39, is a beloved figure in international basketball and an NBA champion who leaves a lasting legacy.
Playing for FC Barcelona and CB Girona in Spain, Gasol’s basketball journey started there and laid the foundation for an incredible career. He declared for the 2007 NBA Draft, with the Los Angeles Lakers selecting him 48th overall. But Gasol’s journey across North America began when his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a big transaction.
In his first season with the Grizzlies, Gasol broke his older brother Pau’s record for the team’s rookie field-goal percentage, demonstrating his skill on the floor. With an NBA All-first Second Team average of 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his first year, this incredible achievement won him recognition.
After 10 years with the Grizzlies, Gasol signed a contract with the Toronto Raptors in February 2019 to start a new chapter in his career. Gasol’s legacy as an NBA champion was cemented when the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, following what turned out to be a crucial decision. With this accomplishment, he and his brother Pau became the first siblings to win NBA titles together.
Gasol’s career took an unexpected turn when he was moved back to the Grizzlies in September, following a brief return to the Lakers for the COVID-19-shortened 2020–21 season. But he decided to stay in Spain and signed a contract with his 2014-founded team, Bàsquet Girona. Gasol demonstrated his ties to his hometown by playing a significant part in the team’s elevation to Liga ACB.
Gasol made a lasting impression on the world stage and greatly enhanced Spain’s basketball history. Among his achievements are two gold medals from the FIBA World Cup, several medals from the FIBA Eurobasket, and back-to-back silver medals from the Olympics in 2008 and 2012.
Gasol’s influence extended beyond team accomplishments. He was selected for three All-Star teams throughout his NBA career, the most notable of which was his Defensive Player of the Year award from the 2012–13 campaign. He also earned a berth on the All-NBA First Team in 2014–15 and was named to the All-Defensive Second Team and All-NBA Second Team in the same season.
The Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly planning to retire Gasol’s No. 33 jersey as an appropriate homage to his accomplishments and to cemented his legacy within the organization.
With his retirement, an era has come to an end for basketball fans, who will always treasure their memories of a player whose talent, commitment, and achievement on a global scale have had a lasting impact on the game he loved for twenty years.
