Marc Gasol

Marc Gasol Sáez ( born January 29, 1985 in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain ) is a Spanish professional basketball player. Mostly it is used as a center. Since 2008 he plays for the NBA Memphis Grizzlies club. He is the brother of the power forward Pau Gasol of the Lakers.

Career

The 2.16 -meter center began his career in the youth from FC Barcelona. In the summer of 2001 he moved with his brother Pau Gasol, who joined the NBA to the Memphis Grizzlies in the United States. There he played until his high school graduation in 2003 basketball team at Lausanne Collegiate School before he moved back to his home, where he again played for the youth team of FC Barcelona. In October 2003, he already made ​​his debut in the first squad, where he only sporadically came in that season to use and mostly aground for the second team. In summer 2004, he was inducted into the final first team, and played two seasons in a row with the Catalans.

Because of its low use time, he brought it in 2005/ 06 only 10 minutes per game, Marc Gasol moved in summer 2006 to Akasvayu Girona. There he quickly became a supporting player in his first year and won the FIBA EuroCup already. On 28 June 2007 he was selected in the 48th place of the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Draft. However, due to its high transfer fee he remained for the time being in Europe. On 2 February 2008, the draft rights were given to him in a big trade to the Memphis Grizzlies. This trade is interesting insofar as Marc's brother Pau Gasol was sent by the Grizzlies to LA in return. The 2007/ 08 should mean the sporty breakthrough Marc Gasols, he finished the season with an average of 16.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game and was named MVP of the Spanish league.

In summer 2008, he moved to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he reached as a rookie on average 11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per game with an average playing time of 30.7 minutes. In February 2009, he was allowed to participate as one of the best debuts of the season on Rookie Challenge and was All- Rookie Second Team elected at the end of the season in the NBA. In the 2009/10 season, the center Marc Gasol established in the starting five of the Grizzlies and boosted his stats to 14.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 shot blocks. As a sophomore he also took part again in the Rookie Challenge. In the 2010/11 season the Grizzlies for five years reached the playoffs for the first time, especially in this, the Spaniard showed strong performances and led his team to a 4-2 first-round victory against the best team in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs, to the Conference semifinals, where the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated in a thrilling duel with 3:4.

Because of its strong first half of the season 2011/12 was elected to the Western Conference All- Star Team Marc Gasol of the 30 head coaches in the league. His team again reached the play-offs, but failed there in the first round to the Los Angeles Clippers.

After completion of the Regular Season 2012/13 Marc Gasol was selected as the first Europeans in the history of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

National

Marc Gasol already celebrated as a junior first success with the national team. In the U-16 European Championship in 2001 he won the bronze medal with Spain. Although he was also part of the banns for the U -18 Championship 2002 and the U-20 European Championships in 2004 and 2005, reached no further podium.

Marc Gasol was first nominated during the preparation phase for the Basketball World Championship 2006 for the national team, and won there with Spain finally the gold medal. A year later, at the European basketball championship in 2007 in his own country, he reached the silver medal. He participated at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 with the Spanish national team, with the finals they lost to the United States with 107:118. At the European Championships in Poland in 2009, he won his country the gold medal, as well as 2011 in Lithuania.

Achievements

Association

  • Spanish Championship (1): 2003/ 04
  • Spanish Super Cup (1): 2004/ 05

National

  • Basketball World Championship ( 1): 2006
  • Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012: Silver in the final against the United States
  • European Basketball Championships (2): 2009 and 2011
  • U-16 European Championships 2001: Bronze

Awards

  • NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award 2012/2013
  • NBA All-Defensive Second Team: 2012/13
  • Participate in the NBA All- Star Game in 2012
  • Participation in the T -Mobile Rookie Challenge 2010 ( Sophomore )
  • NBA All- Rookie Second Team: 2008/ 09
  • Participation in the T -Mobile Rookie Challenge 2009 ( Rookie )
  • MVP of the Spanish League: 2007/ 08
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