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“There’s a part of me that thought I could still play. But no, I have to pour water on that fire,” he said, winning two World Cups with Spain and two NBA titles with the Raptors. Marc Gasol, who won the championship, said:
Marc Gasol is retiring from basketball, ending a career that saw him win an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors and two World Cup gold medals with Spain.
Pau Gasol’s 39-year-old brother — who also retired after a stellar career that included back-to-back NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010 — spoke to reporters on Wednesday, Jan. 31. He announced his decision at a press conference. , in Barcelona.
“There’s a part of me that thought I could still play. But that’s not the case, you’ve got to pour water on that fire,” Gasol said.
“What happened to me in the last 20 years wouldn’t change one second. It’s not a mess. I don’t have a single thorn in my side. I’m very lucky.”
The 6-foot-11 forward played 13 seasons in the NBA, 11 of them with the Memphis Grizzlies, and ranks second on the all-time scoring list. He was traded to the Raptors in 2019 and helped Toronto win its first Larry O’Brien trophy as NBA champions.
He was a key member of Spain’s World Cup teams in 2006 and 2019, and helped Spain win Olympic silver medals in 2008 and 2012.
“Marc Gasol left a legacy of success and values that makes him (part of) the history of Spanish basketball,” Spanish Basketball Federation president Elisa Aguilar posted on social media platform X.
Gasol most recently played for Basketball Girona, the team he founded in 2014 and of which he also served as president.
Pau Gasol will retire from active duty in 2021. – Rappler.com