Spanish · Barcelona, Spain · Born 6 July 1980Spanish basketball center who won two NBA championships with the Lakers and became one of Europe's greatest NBA players with six All-Star selections.
Pau Gasol Sáez was born in Barcelona, Spain in 1980. Memphis Grizzlies selected him third overall in the 2001 NBA Draft after he had already established himself as one of Europe's finest players with FC Barcelona. He won the Rookie of the Year in 2002. He was selected to six All-Star games. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2008 and the transformation was immediate — the Lakers won two consecutive championships (2009, 2010) with Gasol as Kobe Bryant's indispensable partner. He averaged 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game across his career. His combination of post skill, passing ability, mid-range shooting and defensive versatility made him one of the most complete big men of his era. He represented Spain at four Olympics, winning silver in 2008 and 2012. He is the most decorated European big man in NBA history. He retired in 2021 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. His brother Marc Gasol also won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
Two-time NBA champion with Lakers, skilled big man fundamentals
How They Played
Skilled post player with soft touch, excellent passer for his size
Lasting Impact
First Spanish player to win NBA title, basketball icon in Spain
Career Honours
- NBA Champion 2x
- All-Star 6x
- All-NBA Second Team 4x
- Rookie of the Year
- Olympic Silver Medal 2x
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis Grizzlies | 2001–2008 | 476 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 2008–2014 | 429 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 2016–2019 | 171 |
| FC Barcelona | 1998–2001 | 65 |
| Chicago Bulls | 2014–2016 | 113 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2019–2021 | 44 |
 Spain | — | 114 |
Spanish Athletes