NBA Player Profile: Marc Gasol
Name: Marc Gasol
Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Position: Centre
NBA Statistics: 12.6 (points), 7.8 (rebounds), 2.2 (assists)
Background: Born in Spain, Marc and family moved to the United States after his older brother Pau Gasol got drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies. Then, still in his TEENs, he followed in the footsteps of his brother playing basketball for the Lausanne Collegiate School, where he was named Mr Basketball of Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Division 2.
After graduation in 2004, he returned to his native Spain to play in the Liga ACB to spend two seasons with FC Barcelona before moving to Akasvayu Girona where he spent another two seasons. After winning the ACB Most Valuable Player Award he journeyed across to the NBA where he was picked up by the Los Angeles Lakers. His stint there was short-lived as Marc was involved in one of the most interesting trades in basketball. He was traded by the Lakers to the Grizzlies for his older brother Pau as a part of a trade package. The NBA has never encountered a trade of that nature where one player is traded for his brother.
In his rookie season at Memphis, he broke his brother rookie season record for shooting percentage with a commendable 53 per cent in comparison to Pau’s 51.8 per cent. In only his third season with the Grizzlies he has helped the franchise to their first-ever play-off win when they defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2011 NBA Play-offs.
Yet to experience an NBA championship, Gasol has become champion a total of six times constituting stints in Spain and with the Spanish national team.
