Pau Gasol

{{short description|Spanish basketball player (born 1980)}}

{{family name hatnote|Gasol|Sáez|lang=Spanish}}

{{pp|small=yes}}

{{good article}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| image = PauCaptura.jpg

| caption = Gasol with FC Barcelona in 2021

| height_ft = 7

| height_in = 0

| height_footnote = {{efn|Gasol was listed at {{convert|7|ft|0|in}} until the 2019–20 NBA season, in which after the NBA standardized measurements and had the players' heights taken without shoes, Gasol was consequently listed at {{convert|7|ft|1|in}}{{Cite news |last=Case |first=Jeff |date=November 1, 2019 |title=13 facts to know from 2019-20 NBA Roster Survey |work=NBA.com |url=https://www.nba.com/article/2019/11/01/2019-20-nba-roster-survey |access-date=September 14, 2020 |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924023849/https://www.nba.com/article/2019/11/01/2019-20-nba-roster-survey |url-status=live }} as he was on the Portland Trail Blazers at that time. However, since he never played a single game after the 2018–19 season, official sources reverted his height back to {{convert|7|ft|0|in}} following his departure from the Trail Blazers.{{Cite news |last=Hudon |first=Jamie |date=September 26, 2019 |title=NBA cracking down on lying about players' height |work=NBCSports.com |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/portland-trail-blazers/nba-cracking-down-lying-about-players-height |access-date=September 14, 2020 |archive-date=October 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026233753/https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/portland-trail-blazers/nba-cracking-down-lying-about-players-height |url-status=live }}}}{{cite web|title=Pau Gasol | Los Angeles Lakers|url=https://www.nba.com/stats/player/2200/career|website=NBA.com|access-date=November 6, 2023|archive-date=November 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106072447/https://www.nba.com/stats/player/2200/career|url-status=live}}

| weight_lb = 250

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|7|6}}

| birth_place = Barcelona, Spain

| draft_year = 2001

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 3

| draft_team = Atlanta Hawks

| career_start = 1998

| career_end = 2021

| career_number = 16, 17

| career_position = Power forward / center

| years1 = 1998–2001

| team1 = FC Barcelona

| years2 = {{nbay|2001|start}}–{{nbay|2007|end}}

| team2 = Memphis Grizzlies

| years3 = {{nbay|2007|end}}–{{nbay|2013|end}}

| team3 = Los Angeles Lakers

| years4 = {{nbay|2014|start}}–{{nbay|2015|end}}

| team4 = Chicago Bulls

| years5 = {{nbay|2016|start}}–{{nbay|2018|end}}

| team5 = San Antonio Spurs

| years6 = {{nbay|2018|end}}

| team6 = Milwaukee Bucks

| years7 = 2021

| team7 = FC Barcelona

| highlights =

| stat1label = Points

| stat1value = 20,894 (17.0 ppg)

| stat2label = Rebounds

| stat2value = 11,305 (9.2 rpg)

| stat3label = Assists

| stat3value = 3,925 (3.2 apg)

| HOF_player = pau-gasol

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}}

{{MedalCountry|{{bk|ESP}}}}

{{Medal|Competition|Summer Olympics}}

{{Medal|Silver|2008 Beijing|Team}}

{{Medal|Silver|2012 London|Team}}

{{Medal|Bronze|2016 Rio de Janeiro|Team}}

{{MedalCompetition|World Cup}}

{{Medal|Gold|2006 Japan|Team}}

{{Medal|Competition|EuroBasket}}

{{Medal|Gold|2009 Poland|Team}}

{{Medal|Gold|2011 Lithuania|Team}}

{{Medal|Gold|2015 France|Team}}

{{Medal|Silver|2003 Sweden|Team}}

{{Medal|Silver|2007 Spain|Team}}

{{Medal|Bronze|2001 Turkey|Team}}

{{Medal|Bronze|2017 Turkey|Team}}

}}

Pau Gasol Sáez ({{IPA|ca|ˈpaw ɣəˈzɔl|lang}}, {{IPA|es|ˈpaw ɣaˈsol|lang}}; born July 6, 1980) is a Spanish former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 18 seasons, primarily as a power forward. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a four-time All-NBA team selection, twice on the second team and twice on the third team. Gasol won two NBA championships, both with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010. He was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2002 with the Memphis Grizzlies, the first non-American to win that award. He is regarded as one of the greatest{{under discussion inline|talkpage=WT:NBA#Discussion on allowing "greatest" in the lead of all NBA players}} power forwards of all time and one of the greatest{{under discussion inline|talkpage=WT:NBA#Discussion on allowing "greatest" in the lead of all NBA players}} European players of all time.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarankPFs/ranking-greatest-power-forwards-nba-history |title=All-Time #NBArank: Duncan tops list of best power forwards ever |date=January 15, 2016 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=January 15, 2016 |archive-date=June 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611114137/http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarankPFs/ranking-greatest-power-forwards-nba-history |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://hoopshype.com/lists/20-greatest-power-forwards-ever-the-hoopshype-list/ |title=20 greatest power forwards ever: The HoopsHype list |date=November 21, 2021 |publisher=hoopshype.com |access-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205215644/https://hoopshype.com/lists/20-greatest-power-forwards-ever-the-hoopshype-list/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://hoopshype.com/lists/40-greatest-european-players-ever-the-hoopshype-list// |title=40 greatest European players ever: The HoopsHype list |date=January 11, 2022 |publisher=hoopshype.com |access-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111213130/https://hoopshype.com/lists/40-greatest-european-players-ever-the-hoopshype-list/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |date=January 17, 2022 |title=Top 25 European Basketball Players Of All-Time |url=https://homeofplaymakers.com/top-25-european-basketball-players-of-all-time/14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526130041/https://homeofplaymakers.com/top-25-european-basketball-players-of-all-time/14/ |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=January 17, 2022 |publisher=homeofplaymakers.com}} He is the older brother of former NBA player Marc Gasol.

Gasol was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft, but his rights were traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies. He holds the Grizzlies' franchise record for free throws made and attempted.{{Cite web |title=Memphis Grizzlies Career Leaders |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MEM/leaders_career.html |access-date=May 17, 2008 |publisher=Basketball-Reference.com |archive-date=August 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822083735/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MEM/leaders_career.html |url-status=live }} Following more than six seasons with Memphis, Gasol played for the Los Angeles Lakers (2008–2014), Chicago Bulls (2014–2016), San Antonio Spurs (2016–2019), and Milwaukee Bucks (2019).

Internationally, Gasol has won a FIBA World Cup title, three EuroBasket titles, two Olympic silver medals, and an Olympic bronze medal with the Spanish national basketball team. Gasol was named MVP of the 2006 FIBA World Cup and the 2009 and 2015 FIBA EuroBasket. Pau Gasol shares (with Krešimir Ćosić) the record for most EuroBasket MVP awards, with two each. Gasol is also the all-time leading scorer in the EuroBasket.

In 2021, he became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/ioc/mr-pau-gasol |title=Mr Pau Gasol |last= |first= |website=The International Olympic Committee |date=August 8, 2021 |access-date=17 August 2021 |archive-date=August 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817150310/https://olympics.com/ioc/mr-pau-gasol |url-status=live }} In 2023, it was announced that Gasol would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/news/dirk-nowitzki-dwyane-wade-headline-naismith-hall-of-fame-class-of-2023|title=Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade headline Naismith Hall of Fame Class of 2023|website=NBA.com|agency=Associated Press|date=April 1, 2023|accessdate=April 1, 2023|archive-date=April 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402235346/https://www.nba.com/news/dirk-nowitzki-dwyane-wade-headline-naismith-hall-of-fame-class-of-2023|url-status=live}}

Early life

Gasol was born in Barcelona. Both of his parents played basketball in organized leagues. His father Agustí, a nurse administrator, stood {{convert|6|ft|3|in}}, and his mother Marisa, a medical doctor, was {{convert|6|ft|1|in|m}}.{{Cite news |last=Chuck Culpepper |date=February 10, 2008 |title=The Tao of Pau |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-feb-10-sp-gasol10-story.html |access-date=December 30, 2009 |archive-date=March 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329092740/http://articles.latimes.com/2008/feb/10/sports/sp-gasol10 |url-status=live }} "One of my friends was working there" as an obstetrician, said Gasol's mother, Marisa, herself a doctor of internal medicine, "and I went to him to take my boy. It's such a beautiful hospital." (Marisa Sàez, Pau Gasol's mother, referring to the Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain) When Gasol was born, his family was living in Cornellà, although he was born in Barcelona, at Sant Pau Hospital, where both of his parents worked. When he was 6 years old, his family moved to a city close to Barcelona, Sant Boi de Llobregat, where he spent the remainder of his childhood.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol's Official Web Site |url=http://www.paugasol.com/ |access-date=May 17, 2008 |publisher=Nike |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111194818/http://www.paugasol.com/ |url-status=live }} Gasol was interested in football, but loved basketball. The first sport he played was actually rugby, before switching to basketball.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol Más perfiles |url=http://es.eurosport.yahoo.com/fot/ftxt/pau_gasol.html |access-date=July 6, 2005 |language=es |archive-date=June 17, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070617191745/http://es.eurosport.yahoo.com/fot/ftxt/pau_gasol.html |url-status=live }} He is described as "a family boy and the perfect student, a tad shy, and a bit of a joker."

He originally did not want to make sports his career. On the day that Magic Johnson announced his HIV-positive status in 1991, the 11-year-old Gasol, who had heard the news in school, decided that he wanted to be a doctor and find a cure for AIDS. He enrolled in medical school at the University of Barcelona in 1998, but left after one year as his basketball career at FC Barcelona advanced.{{Cite magazine |last=Jenkins |first=Lee |date=March 29, 2010 |title=The power of Pau |page=3 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/3/index.htm |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-date=March 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328023153/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/3/index.htm |url-status=dead}}[https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/17958490 Pau Gasol profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924183026/https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/17958490 |date=September 24, 2021 }} - website of the national broadcaster BBC[https://olympics.com/ioc/mr-pau-gasol-saez Mr Pau GASOL SÁEZ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926124730/https://olympics.com/ioc/mr-pau-gasol-saez |date=September 26, 2021 }} - website of the International Olympic Committee

Professional career

=Barcelona (1998–2001)=

Gasol began playing basketball as a center with his school team, Llor, and eventually signed with Cornellà. When he was sixteen, he began playing for FC Barcelona's junior team. With Spain's national under-18 team, he won both the 1998 Albert Schweitzer Tournament and the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship.{{Cite web |title=NBA Draft 2001 – Pau Gasol |url=http://www.nba.com/draft2001/playerfiles/pau_gasol.html?nav=ArticleList |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612045547/https://www.nba.com/draft2001/playerfiles/pau_gasol.html?nav=ArticleList |archive-date=June 12, 2015 |access-date=May 18, 2008 |publisher=NBA}} Gasol made his debut on January 17, 1999, with the senior team of FC Barcelona{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2019 |title=Pau Gasol, strategic advisor and Barça ambassador in the United States |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/news/1106167/pau-gasol-strategic-advisor-and-barca-ambassador-in-the-united-states |access-date=August 5, 2020 |website=FC Barcelona |archive-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805143852/https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/news/1106167/pau-gasol-strategic-advisor-and-barca-ambassador-in-the-united-states |url-status=live }} and played just 25 total minutes in the Spanish ACB League's 1998–99 season, and averaged 13.7 minutes per game in the ACB the next year.{{Cite web |title=acb.com Historial estadístico Gasol, Pau |url=http://www.acb.com/stsacumjug.php?cod_jugador=A2C |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623092911/http://www.acb.com/stsacumjug.php?cod_jugador=A2C |archive-date=June 23, 2012 |access-date=April 12, 2011 |language=es}} However, in his final season in the ACB, Gasol averaged 12.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game. FC Barcelona was victorious in the Spanish National Cup's 2001 Final's championship game, and Gasol was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. After entering the NBA draft, Gasol was selected third overall in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks,{{Cite web |title=2001 NBA Draft Board |url=http://www.nba.com/draft2001/draft_board.html?nav=TextNavBar |access-date=May 19, 2008 |publisher=NBA |archive-date=February 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205155018/http://www.nba.com/draft2001/draft_board.html?nav=TextNavBar |url-status=live }} who traded his draft rights to the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for Shareef Abdur-Rahim and the Grizzlies' 27th pick in the draft Jamaal Tinsley.{{Cite web |last=Newberry |first=Paul |title=Abdur-Rahim Heading Home |url=http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/vancouvertrade_010627.html?nav=ArticleList |access-date=May 17, 2008 |publisher=NBA |archive-date=November 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114111504/http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/vancouvertrade_010627.html?nav=ArticleList |url-status=live }}

=Memphis Grizzlies (2001–2008)=

== 2001–2005: Rookie of the Year and first playoff appearances ==

File:Lakers Grizzlies 200304.jpg while playing against the Lakers in the 2003–04 NBA season.]]

In his first season with the Grizzlies, Gasol became the first foreign player to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award,{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol – 2001–2002 Rookie of the Year |url=http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/gasol_roy_02.html |access-date=May 19, 2008 |publisher=NBA |archive-date=October 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030121728/http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/gasol_roy_02.html |url-status=live }} and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.{{Cite web |title=All-Rookie Teams |url=http://www.nba.com/history/awards_allrookieteams.html |access-date=May 19, 2008 |publisher=NBA |archive-date=July 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725172621/http://www.nba.com/history/awards_allrookieteams.html |url-status=live }} He averaged 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and was also the only team member to play in all 82 games that season.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol Career Stats Page |url=http://www.nba.com/playerfile/pau_gasol/career_stats.html |access-date=May 18, 2008 |publisher=NBA |archive-date=April 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406173816/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/pau_gasol/career_stats.html |url-status=live }} Gasol led the team in scoring (19.0 points per game) in his second year with the Grizzlies, and for the second year in a row, played in all 82 games. Gasol missed the first game of his career, during his third year, with a foot injury on April 5, 2004, which snapped his string of 240 consecutive games played.{{Cite news |title=Grizzlies Sign Pau Gasol to a Multi-Year Contract Extension |publisher=NBA |url=http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/release-gasol_multi-year_contract.html |access-date=May 18, 2008 |archive-date=June 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625023116/http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/release-gasol_multi-year_contract.html |url-status=live }} He grabbed the 1,500th rebound of his career on November 12, 2003, against the Orlando Magic and scored his 3,000th career point on October 31, 2003, against the Boston Celtics.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol Info Page |url=http://www.nba.com/playerfile/pau_gasol/index.html |access-date=May 17, 2008 |publisher=NBA |archive-date=April 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404211040/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/pau_gasol/index.html |url-status=live }} Despite having 22 points in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs, the highest by a Memphis players in the playoffs, his team was eliminated in the first round, not winning a single game against San Antonio. This was both the Grizzlies and Gasol's first trip to the NBA Playoffs.{{Cite web |title=NBA Playoffs 2004 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/playoffs2004/ |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=July 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716170014/http://www.nba.com/playoffs2004/ |url-status=live }} Following the season, Gasol signed a six-year, $86.5 million extension that began in the 2005–06 season and last through the 2011–12 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=1892947|title=Leading scorer gets multiyear deal|access-date=June 5, 2025}} On January 11, 2005, he scored 31 points and blocked four shots against the Indiana Pacers to earn 5,000 points and 500 blocks in his career, becoming the 10th fastest player to reach 5,000 points/500 blocks since 1973–74. He also helped his team make it to the playoffs for the second time in his career, but they were eliminated in the first round and did not win a single game against the Phoenix Suns.{{Cite web |title=NBA Playoffs 2005 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/playoffs2005/ |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=September 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925014107/http://www.nba.com/playoffs2005/ |url-status=live }}

== 2005–2008: First All-Star appearance and franchise records ==

File:Pau gasol zz.jpg]]

In his fifth year with the Grizzlies, he became the franchise's all-time leading rebounder on March 24 against the New York Knicks when he grabbed his 3,072nd rebound in a Grizzlies uniform. He made 29 consecutive free throw attempts from January 24 to 28, tying the second best mark in Grizzlies history, including two straight games going 12–12 from the line, tying the best single-game mark in franchise history. Gasol and the Grizzlies returned to the playoffs for the third time in his and his team's history. Once again, they were eliminated in the first round and did not win a single game against the Dallas Mavericks.{{Cite web |title=NBA Playoffs 2006 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/playoffs2006/ |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=August 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819112619/http://www.nba.com/playoffs2006/ |url-status=live }}

On February 9, 2006, making his first appearance, Gasol was selected to play in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas as a reserve center for the Western Conference. At the time, he was one of four players ranked among Western Conference forwards in the top ten in points, rebounds, assists and blocked shots.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol Named Western Conference All-Star Reserve |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/gasol_all_star-060209.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521205112/http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/gasol_all_star-060209.html |archive-date=May 21, 2008 |access-date=May 17, 2008}} He was the first Spanish basketball player as well as the first Grizzlies player to ever make it to the All-Star Game.

Gasol missed the first 23 games of the 2006–07 NBA season due to a broken foot suffered near the end of Spain's semifinal win over Argentina in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. He would go on to be named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, which Spain won. He had a season-high 34 points (most by a Grizzly that season), and eight rebounds and tied a career-high and franchise record with eight blocks on January 29 against the Sacramento Kings,{{Cite web |title=Gasol accurately attacks from field; Grizz win only third of last 10 |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270129029 |access-date=May 17, 2005 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106060144/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270129029 |url-status=dead }} and surpassed Shareef Abdur-Rahim as the franchise's all-time leader in free throw attempts on January 31 against the Dallas Mavericks. He became the all-time franchise leader in field goals made on February 6 against the Houston Rockets, and became the all-time franchise leader in minutes played on February 7 at Dallas. He surpassed Shareef Abdur-Rahim (7,801 points) as the Grizzlies' all-time leading scorer on March 7, 2007, against the Toronto Raptors (7,809 points at the time). On January 24, 2007, Gasol recorded his second career triple-double against the hosting Utah Jazz, garnering 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. He also registered 2 blocks and one steal.{{Cite web |title=Grizzlies at Jazz Boxscore 2007-01-24 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20070124/MEMUTA/boxscore.html |access-date=January 24, 2007 |archive-date=June 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628111210/http://www.nba.com/games/20070124/MEMUTA/boxscore.html |url-status=live }}

= Los Angeles Lakers (2008–2014) =

== 2008–2011: Back-to-back championships and All-NBA appearances ==

File:Pau Gasol boxout.jpg in 2008]]

On February 1, 2008, Memphis traded Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers along with a 2010 second round draft pick for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol (Pau's younger brother), and 2008 and 2010 first round draft picks. There has been some controversy surrounding the trade. Chris Wallace denied in an ESPN article that he had been ordered by owner Michael Heisley to make the Grizzlies more attractive to a potential buyer. Wallace said, "No one put pressure on me to do this, and Michael Heisley has actually been reluctant to move Pau." He also said that they had been "trolling" the waters for a while and dealt with a number of teams. He selected the Lakers deal because "it didn't get any better than this."{{Cite web |date=January 17, 2008 |title=What were the Grizzlies Thinking? |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&id=3226776 |access-date=May 8, 2008 |archive-date=May 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527044958/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&id=3226776 |url-status=live }} When Gasol departed the Grizzlies, he held twelve franchise records, including games played, minutes played, field goals made, free throws made and attempted, offensive, defensive, and total rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers, and points. Per game statistics, he leads Memphis in defensive and total rebounds along with blocked shots.{{Cite web |title=Memphis Grizzlies Franchise Leaders |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MEM/leaders_career.html |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=August 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822083735/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MEM/leaders_career.html |url-status=live }}

After being traded to the Lakers, Gasol lived in Redondo Beach, across the street from the shoreline.{{Cite news |date=March 29, 2010 |title=The Power Of Pau |work=CNN |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/index.htm |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-date=March 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328042948/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/index.htm |url-status=dead }} On February 5, Gasol made his first Lakers appearance in a game against the New Jersey Nets, during which he scored 24 points and had 12 rebounds in a 105–90 win over the Nets.{{Cite web |date=2008-02-01 |title=Needing inside help, Lakers get Gasol from Grizz |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3226203 |access-date=2021-07-16 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531011409/https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3226203 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2008 |title=Lakers Acquire Gasol From Grizzlies |url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/news/080201gasol_trade.html |access-date=2021-07-16 |website=Los Angeles Lakers |language=en |archive-date=July 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716143644/https://www.nba.com/lakers/news/080201gasol_trade.html |url-status=live }} On March 14, Gasol sprained his ankle in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, stepping on the foot of teammate Vladimir Radmanović in the first quarter.{{Cite web |title=Paul's double-double helps Hornets prevail |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280314003 |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=April 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404190349/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280314003 |url-status=dead }} Gasol was expected to miss the remaining three games of the Lakers' road trip after x-rays came up negative.{{Cite web |title=Lakers' Gasol to sit out at least three games with injured ankle |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3294271 |access-date=May 17, 2005 |archive-date=March 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319011016/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3294271 |url-status=live }} Gasol returned to the starting lineup on April 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers and played nearly thirty-two minutes, registering 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists.{{Cite web |title=Gasol contributes 10 points in Lakers' win over Portland |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280402013 |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=May 11, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511142040/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280402013 |url-status=dead }} He admitted to feeling limited with the swelling in his ankle still present. Gasol helped the Lakers finish the regular season with the best record in the Western Conference (57–25), with him in the starting lineup the Lakers went 22–5. Kobe Bryant has also stated that playing with Gasol clicked from the start.{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=David |date=May 7, 2008 |title=Gasol quickly fits in to help Lakers |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/2008-05-06-Gasol_N.htm?csp=34 |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=May 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510131109/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/2008-05-06-Gasol_N.htm?csp=34 |url-status=live }}

File:Pau Gasol dunk.jpg

In the Lakers' opening game of the playoffs, he contributed 36 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocked shots.{{Cite web |title=Lakers-Nuggets Box Score |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200804200LAL.html |publisher=basketballreference.com |access-date=December 2, 2017 |archive-date=July 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705163102/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200804200LAL.html |url-status=live }} When the Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in the first round, it was Gasol's first trip to the second round in four tries. His previous team, the Grizzlies, failed to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row. He contributed 17 points and 13 rebounds in Game 6 against the Utah Jazz to help the Lakers advance to the conference finals.{{Cite web |title=Jazz-Lakers Box Score |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200805160UTA.html |publisher=basketballreference.com |access-date=December 2, 2017 |archive-date=July 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709080815/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200805160UTA.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Lakers Win Series 4–2 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/080516_gameday_jazz.html |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=May 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519094814/http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/080516_gameday_jazz.html |url-status=live }} On May 31, he recorded a career high 19 rebounds in a series-clinching win against the San Antonio Spurs, and he became the first Spaniard to reach the NBA Finals.{{Cite web |title=Lakers-Spurs Box Score |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200805290LAL.html |publisher=basketballreference.com |access-date=December 2, 2017 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517134617/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200805290LAL.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol becomes first Spaniard to reach an NBA final |url=http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/15015/pau-gasol-becomes-first-spaniard-to-reach-nba-final |access-date=May 30, 2008 |publisher=thinkspain.com |archive-date=June 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606224203/http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/15015/pau-gasol-becomes-first-spaniard-to-reach-nba-final |url-status=live }} Gasol scored 14.7 points per game on .532 shooting in the 2008 Finals against the Boston Celtics, which was below his scoring average of 18.9 during the regular season, However, he led the Lakers in rebounding with 10.2 per game throughout the championship series,{{Cite web |title=2008 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2008_finals.html |publisher=basketballreference.com |access-date=December 2, 2017 |archive-date=February 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220220251/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2008_finals.html |url-status=live }} up from his regular-season average of 8.4. Los Angeles lost in six games against Boston in the Finals, including a 131–92 loss in Game 6.{{Cite web |title=NBA Finals 2008 Homepage |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/finals2008/index.html |access-date=November 10, 2008 |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118013435/http://www.nba.com/finals2008/index.html |url-status=live }} In the Playoffs, Gasol was the second leading Laker in points (16.9), rebounds (9.3) and assists per game (4.0).{{Cite web |title=2007–08 Los Angeles Lakers Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2008.html |publisher=basketballreference.com |access-date=December 2, 2017 |archive-date=November 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103053535/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2008.html |url-status=live }} He was the leader in blocks per game (1.90) and was tied with Lamar Odom with the most postseason double-doubles (10).

On January 2, 2009, in a win against the Utah Jazz, Gasol scored his 10,000th career point. Gasol earned his second All-Star appearance as a reserve for the Western Conference squad during the 2008–09 NBA season, his first as a Laker. He was also named Western Conference Player of the Month after helping the Lakers to an 11–2 record for the month of February that included road wins over Boston and Cleveland. He finished the regular season with averages of 18.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1 block per game. Gasol then won his first NBA championship ring when the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in the 2009 Finals.

On December 24, 2009, Gasol signed a 3-year extension with the Lakers worth $64.7 million.{{Cite news |last=Turner |first=Broderick |date=December 24, 2009 |title=Lakers' Pau Gasol signs three-year extension |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-24-la-sp-lakers-fyi24-2009dec24-story.html |access-date=May 22, 2010 |archive-date=March 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315193532/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/24/sports/la-sp-lakers-fyi24-2009dec24 |url-status=live }} Gasol earned his third All-Star appearance as a reserve for the Western Conference and finished the regular season with averages of 18.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks. In Game 6 of the first round, Gasol grabbed 18 rebounds and his last-second putback eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder.{{Cite web |date=April 30, 2010 |title=Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – Recap – April 30, 2010 |url=http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=300430025 |access-date=September 19, 2011 |publisher=ESPN |archive-date=November 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113235509/http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=300430025 |url-status=dead }} In the conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz, he averaged 23.5 points and 14.5 rebounds, and finally in the conference finals against the Phoenix Suns, he averaged 19.7 points with 7.2 rebounds. In Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Gasol scored 19 points, (6–16 FGM-A, 7–13 FTM-A) grabbed 18 rebounds and recorded two blocks as the Lakers repeated as champions. He averaged 18.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game in the series, on a 47.8% field goal percentage. In 2010, he was chosen as the 15th-smartest athlete in sports by Sporting News.{{Cite news |date=September 27, 2010 |title=SN names the 20 smartest athletes in sports |work=Sporting News |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/feed/2010-09/smart-athletes/story/sporting-news-names-the-20-smartest-athletes-in-sports |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523023358/http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/feed/2010-09/smart-athletes/story/sporting-news-names-the-20-smartest-athletes-in-sports |archive-date=May 23, 2013}}

Challenged by Lakers' coach Phil Jackson to be more assertive while Bryant recovered from offseason knee surgery, Gasol started the season's first week averaging 25.3 points on 52.5 percent shooting, 10.3 rebounds, and five assists per game as the Lakers started 3–0. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week.{{Cite news |last=Kamenetzky |first=Brian |date=November 1, 2010 |title=Pau Gasol tops Western Conference |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5753535 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104042552/http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5753535 |archive-date=November 4, 2010 |access-date=November 10, 2010 |publisher=ESPN}} He earned his third straight All-Star selection and his season averages of 19 points and 10 rebounds were nearly identical to what he had put up as a Laker the previous three seasons.{{Cite web |last=Champlin |first=Brian |date=May 13, 2011 |title=Player Report Card: Pau Gasol |url=http://www.lakersnation.com/exit-evaluations-pau-gasol/2011/05/13/ |access-date=May 14, 2011 |publisher=lakersnation |archive-date=May 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516133542/http://www.lakersnation.com/exit-evaluations-pau-gasol/2011/05/13/ |url-status=live }} Pau's play also merited him All-NBA second team honors for the first time in his career.{{Cite news |last=Medina |first=Mark |date=May 12, 2011 |title=Kobe Bryant named to All-NBA first team; Pau Gasol makes second team |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/05/kobe-bryant-named-to-all-nba-first-team-pau-gasol-makes-it-to-all-nba-second-team.html |access-date=May 14, 2011 |archive-date=May 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514203634/http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/05/kobe-bryant-named-to-all-nba-first-team-pau-gasol-makes-it-to-all-nba-second-team.html |url-status=dead }} In the playoffs, Gasol only averaged 13 points on 42% shooting over 10 games, and the Lakers were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round. Gasol had the worst post season performance of his career. Lakers Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Magic Johnson cited Gasol as a possible trade option for the Lakers to acquire Magic center Dwight Howard.{{Cite news |last=Medina |first=Mark |date=May 12, 2011 |title=Pau Gasol has plenty of motivation in off-season |work=The New York Times |url=http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/05/pau-gasol-enters-this-offseason-with-plenty-of-motvation-1.html?cid=6a00d8341c506253ef014e8865f353970d |access-date=May 14, 2011 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519032410/http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/05/pau-gasol-enters-this-offseason-with-plenty-of-motvation-1.html?cid=6a00d8341c506253ef014e8865f353970d |url-status=dead }} Gasol ignored the false reports about his relationship status with his girlfriend as the cause of his poor performance and has accepted the criticism of his play as valid.

== 2011–2014: Failed trade and final years with Lakers ==

During the 2011–12 NBA season, Gasol and teammate Lamar Odom were subjected to trade rumors involving former New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul. After the trade fell through, Gasol vowed that it would not affect the way he played. Odom, on the other hand, was angry at the Lakers and was traded to the 2010–11 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks for a future first round pick. After Lakers co-captain Derek Fisher was traded in March 2012, Gasol joined Bryant as co-captains of the team.{{Cite news |last=Deveney |first=Sean |date=March 20, 2012 |title=Pau Gasol says he's ready to take co-captain mantle from departed Derek Fisher |work=SportingNews.com |url=http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-03-20/lakers-news-pau-gasol-derek-fisher-kobe-bryant-co-captain-mike-brown |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120706055421/http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-03-20/lakers-news-pau-gasol-derek-fisher-kobe-bryant-co-captain-mike-brown |archive-date=July 6, 2012}} He won the 2011–12 seasonlong NBA Community Assist Award.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol Awarded NBA's Season Long Community Assist Award |url=http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/120604_pau-community-assist |access-date=March 3, 2014 |website=Los Angeles Lakers |archive-date=June 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606060127/http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/120604_pau-community-assist |url-status=live }}

File:Lakers vs Nuggets 2013-01-06 (22).JPG

After a 1–4 start to the 2012–13 season, the Lakers replaced head coach Mike Brown with Mike D'Antoni. Gasol was struggling after seven games under D'Antoni, averaging 10.1 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 38.8 percent, and he was benched in the fourth quarter in multiple games.{{Cite news |last=Golliver |first=Ben |date=December 4, 2012 |title=Lakers reportedly tell Gasol to adjust to D'Antoni's system or face trade |work=SI.com |url=http://nba.si.com/2012/12/04/pau-gasol-trade-talks-los-angeles-lakers-mitch-kupchak/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205230834/http://nba.si.com/2012/12/04/pau-gasol-trade-talks-los-angeles-lakers-mitch-kupchak/ |archive-date=December 5, 2012}} The team had difficulties getting Gasol involved in D'Antoni's offense, which historically had not had post players playing forward.{{Cite news |last=Shelburne |first=Ramona |date=November 24, 2012 |title=Mike D'Antoni looks at offense |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8672356/mike-dantoni-los-angeles-lakers-coach-hopes-get-pau-gasol-dwight-howard-involved |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121125054454/http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8672356/mike-dantoni-los-angeles-lakers-coach-hopes-get-pau-gasol-dwight-howard-involved |archive-date=November 25, 2012}} Gasol ranked only 27th in the league in post-up points with 2.7 per game, down from prior seasons when he was fifth in 2010–11 and ninth in 2011–12.{{Cite news |last=Shelburne |first=Ramona |date=December 10, 2012 |title=Lakers, Gasol still searching for fit |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8732931/the-los-angeles-lakers-pau-gasol-looking-right-fit |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211174826/http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8732931/the-los-angeles-lakers-pau-gasol-looking-right-fit |archive-date=December 11, 2012}} On November 18, 2012, in a win against the Houston Rockets, Gasol scored his 15,000th career point. Bothered by tendinitis in both knees since training camp, Gasol sat out eight games in December before returning to the starting lineup.{{Cite news |last=McMenamin |first=Dave |date=December 4, 2012 |title=Lakers F Pau Gasol out Tuesday |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8709159/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-tuesday-houston-rockets-tendinitis-knees |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204222654/http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8709159/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-tuesday-houston-rockets-tendinitis-knees |archive-date=December 4, 2012}}{{Cite news |last=Bolch |first=Ben |date=December 18, 2012 |title=Lakers hang on to edge Bobcats, 101–100 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-bobcats-20121219,0,3084796.story |access-date=December 19, 2012 |archive-date=December 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219121405/http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-bobcats-20121219,0,3084796.story |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Shelburne |first=Ramona |date=December 18, 2012 |title=Pau Gasol to start vs. Bobcats |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8759524/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-forward-start-charlotte-bobcats |access-date=December 19, 2012 |archive-date=December 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218225843/http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8759524/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-forward-start-charlotte-bobcats |url-status=live }} Later, he was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, but continued playing.{{Cite news |last=Pincus |first=Eric |date=December 27, 2012 |title=Pau Gasol diagnosed with plantar fasciitis |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-xpm-2012-dec-27-la-sp-ln-pau-gasol-diagnosed-plantar-fasciitis-20121227-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514213433/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/27/sports/la-sp-ln-pau-gasol-diagnosed-plantar-fasciitis-20121227 |archive-date=May 14, 2013}}{{Cite news |last=Elliot |first=Helene |date=December 28, 2012 |title=Pau Gasol shows his versatility in Laker win over Portland |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-dec-28-la-sp-elliott-lakers-20121229-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130233658/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/28/sports/la-sp-elliott-lakers-20121229 |archive-date=January 30, 2013}} General manager Mitch Kupchak told Lakers season-ticket holders the team needed Gasol to be more involved.{{Cite news |last=Pincus |first=Eric |date=January 6, 2013 |title=GM Mitch Kupchak tells fans he's disappointed in team |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-fyi-20130107,0,4833654.story |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130107182545/http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-fyi-20130107,0,4833654.story |archive-date=January 7, 2013}} On January 7, 2013, Gasol received a blow to the face from Denver's JaVale McGee in the fourth quarter of a 112–105 loss. He suffered a concussion, forcing him to miss the next five games.{{Cite news |last=McMenamin |first=Dave |date=January 7, 2013 |title=Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol out |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8821787/injured-los-angeles-lakers-dwight-howard-pau-gasol-indefinitely |access-date=January 7, 2013 |archive-date=January 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130107235054/http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8821787/injured-los-angeles-lakers-dwight-howard-pau-gasol-indefinitely |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=McMenamin |first=Dave |date=January 18, 2013 |title=Pau Gasol may come off bench |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8858553/mike-dantoni-los-angeles-lakers-considers-bringing-pau-gasol-bench |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119070235/http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8858553/mike-dantoni-los-angeles-lakers-considers-bringing-pau-gasol-bench |archive-date=January 19, 2013}} In his first game back, he came off the bench after having started his first 345 games with the Lakers. In the next game, he returned to the starting lineup and scored 25 points against Toronto, only his second 20-point game of the season.{{Cite news |last=McMenamin |first=Dave |date=January 21, 2013 |title=Gasol gets his touches, and Kobe's happy |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/35519/gasol-gets-his-touches-and-kobes-happy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122223038/http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/35519/gasol-gets-his-touches-and-kobes-happy |archive-date=January 22, 2013}} However, in the next game on January 21, D'Antoni moved Gasol to a reserve role and started Earl Clark, a change the coach considered permanent.{{Cite news |last=McMenamin |first=Dave |date=January 22, 2013 |title=Pau Gasol to be reserve for Lakers |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8867466/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-come-bench |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122171117/http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8867466/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-come-bench |archive-date=January 22, 2013}} On February 5 against the Brooklyn Nets, Gasol tore the plantar fascia of his right foot. Gasol had tweaked the fascia in the first half, but played through the soreness until he felt it pop when he tried to block a shot by Brook Lopez towards the end of the game.{{Cite news |date=February 6, 2013 |title=Pau Gasol has tear in plantar fascia |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8923175/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-tear-plantar-fascia-right-foot |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206234624/http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8923175/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-tear-plantar-fascia-right-foot |archive-date=February 6, 2013}} He returned over six weeks later on March 22 after missing 20 games, with D'Antoni returning him to the starting lineup over Clark.{{Cite news |last=Pincus |first=Eric |date=March 23, 2013 |title=Trevor Ariza bests his former teammate Kobe Bryant |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-ariza-bests-former-teammate-kobe-20130323,0,1184038.story |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328095557/http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-ariza-bests-former-teammate-kobe-20130323,0,1184038.story |archive-date=March 28, 2013}}{{Cite news |last=Trudell |first=Mike |date=April 10, 2013 |title=Gasol Returning To Form |work=Lakers.com |url=http://blog.lakers.com/lakers/2013/04/10/gasol-returning-to-form/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413125039/http://blog.lakers.com/lakers/2013/04/10/gasol-returning-to-form/ |archive-date=April 13, 2013}}{{Cite news |last=Pincus |first=Eric |date=March 20, 2013 |title=Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol 'hopefully' to play Friday |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-mar-20-la-sp-lakers-fyi-20130321-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401060859/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/mar/20/sports/la-sp-lakers-fyi-20130321 |archive-date=April 1, 2013}}{{Cite news |last=Pincus |first=Eric |date=March 26, 2013 |title=Reintegrating Pau Gasol has made the Lakers vulnerable |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-pau-gasol-lakers-20130326,0,2116793.story |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130331041321/http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-pau-gasol-lakers-20130326,0,2116793.story |archive-date=March 31, 2013}} After a two-game adjustment period, Gasol's play was solid, and Bryant insisted that Gasol receive the ball in the post.{{Cite news |last=Rohlin |first=Melissa |date=April 10, 2013 |title=Kobe Bryant makes Lakers give it to Pau Gasol |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-apr-10-la-sp-0411-lakers-web-20130411-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412172126/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/10/sports/la-sp-0411-lakers-web-20130411 |archive-date=April 12, 2013}} D'Antoni stated that Gasol had played well since January, and attributed the forward's earlier struggles to injuries and the team's evolving offensive system. "I have a lot more confidence in him now, and he's playing great", D'Antoni said.{{Cite news |last=Nowell |first=Danny |date=April 11, 2013 |title=Lakers Majoring In Drama For This Playoff Push |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/dailydime |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329020122/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime |archive-date=March 29, 2013}} He finished the season with career lows in points (13.7) and field-goal percentage (.466), and his rebounds (8.6) were his lowest since his first season with Los Angeles. He was limited to a career-low 49 games. However, he had three triple-doubles in his last seven games including the playoffs.{{Cite news |last=McMenamin |first=Dave |date=January 4, 2014 |title=D'Antoni leans on Pau Gasol |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/38428/dantoni-leans-on-pau-gasol |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105043839/http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/38428/dantoni-leans-on-pau-gasol |archive-date=January 5, 2014}}

Gasol was owed $19.3 million in 2013–14 in the final year of his contract, which cost the Lakers around $50 million including luxury taxes.{{Cite news |last=Bolch |first=Ben |date=April 28, 2013 |title=Lakers' Pau Gasol is steady as he goes ... away? |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-apr-28-la-sp-bolch-lakers-20130429-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503223552/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/28/sports/la-sp-bolch-lakers-20130429 |archive-date=May 3, 2013}} He became a free agent after the season.

=Chicago Bulls (2014–2016)=

File:Paul Gasol high five with Stryde at the end of the Chicago Bulls game (cropped).jpg

On July 18, 2014, Gasol signed with the Chicago Bulls on a three-year, $22 million contract with a player option in the final season.{{Cite web |date=July 18, 2014 |title=Bulls sign forward/center Pau Gasol |url=http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/bulls-sign-forward/center-pau-gasol |access-date=July 18, 2014 |website=NBA.com |publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. |archive-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720223636/http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/bulls-sign-forward/center-pau-gasol |url-status=live }} He said after he was introduced: "It was a gut feeling. I thought Chicago was going to be the best fit for me. It's a great challenge, but I'm driven by challenge. I look forward to it."{{Cite web |date=July 18, 2014 |title=Bulls sign Spaniards Gasol, Mirotic |url=http://www.nba.com/2014/news/07/18/bulls-introduce-gasol-and-mirotic.ap/index.html |access-date=July 19, 2014 |website=NBA.com |publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. |archive-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720061014/http://www.nba.com/2014/news/07/18/bulls-introduce-gasol-and-mirotic.ap/index.html |url-status=live }}

On January 1, 2015, Gasol recorded a career-high 9 blocks, along with 17 points and 9 rebounds, in the 106–101 win over the Denver Nuggets.{{Cite web |date=January 1, 2015 |title=Rose leads Bulls over Nuggets 106–101 |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20150101/DENCHI/gameinfo.html |access-date=January 2, 2015 |website=NBA.com |publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. |archive-date=December 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231215149/http://www.nba.com/games/20150101/DENCHI/gameinfo.html? |url-status=live }} Ten days later, he scored a career-high 46 points on 17-of-30 shooting in a 95–87 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2015 |title=Gasol powers Bulls past Bucks, 95–87 |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20150110/MILCHI/gameinfo.html |access-date=January 11, 2015 |website=NBA.com |publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. |archive-date=May 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506050109/http://www.nba.com/games/20150110/MILCHI/gameinfo.html |url-status=live }} On April 9, 2015, he recorded a league-best 51st double-double of the season with 16 points and 15 rebounds in an 89–78 win over the Miami Heat.{{Cite web |title=Gasol Gets League Best 51st Double-Double of Season | date=April 9, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnqH2Lqz74w |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/FnqH2Lqz74w |archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}} He recorded his 54th double-double of the season in the regular season finale on April 15 against the Atlanta Hawks to finish as the league-leader in double-doubles in 2014–15.{{Cite web |title=Brooks leads rally, Bulls beat Hawks 91–85 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20150415/ATLCHI/gameinfo.html |access-date=April 16, 2015 |archive-date=December 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224201410/http://www.nba.com/games/20150415/ATLCHI/gameinfo.html |url-status=live }}

On December 5, 2015, Gasol became the 116th player to reach 1,000 regular-season games. He had 13 points and 11 rebounds against the Charlotte Hornets for his ninth double-double of the season.{{Cite web |title=Batum scores 24 as Hornets beat Bulls 102–96 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20151205/CHACHI/gameinfo.html |access-date=December 6, 2015 |archive-date=December 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151205051517/http://www.nba.com/games/20151205/CHACHI/gameinfo.html? |url-status=live }} On January 25, 2016, he recorded his first career first quarter double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol recorded a double-double in the first quarter |url=http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/7/71/1278162/pau-gasol-recorded-double-double-first-quarter |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201145734/http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/7/71/1278162/pau-gasol-recorded-double-double-first-quarter |archive-date=February 1, 2016}} He finished the game with 19 points and 17 rebounds, as the Bulls were defeated by the Miami Heat 89–84.{{Cite web |title=Wade, Bosh spark Heat to 89–84 comeback win over Bulls |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160125/MIACHI/gameinfo.html |access-date=January 26, 2016 |archive-date=February 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210111226/https://www.nba.com/games |url-status=live }} On February 9, Gasol was named as his Chicago Bulls teammate Jimmy Butler's replacement on the 2016 Eastern Conference All-Star squad.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol replaces Jimmy Butler in All-Star Game |url=https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/pau-gasol-replaces-jimmy-butler-all-star-game-0 |website=Chicago Bulls |access-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229061758/https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/pau-gasol-replaces-jimmy-butler-all-star-game-0 |url-status=live }} On February 27, he recorded his eighth career triple-double and first as a Bull with 22 points, 16 rebounds and a career-high 14 assists in a 103–95 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.{{Cite web |title=Bulls fall to Portland 103-95 |url=https://www.nba.com/bulls/gameday/bulls-fall-portland-103-95 |website=Chicago Bulls |access-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229061800/https://www.nba.com/bulls/gameday/bulls-fall-portland-103-95 |url-status=live }} At 35 years old, he became the oldest player to record a triple-double since Kobe Bryant did so at 36 years old in 2014.{{Cite web |title=Lillard scores 31 points as Trail Blazers beat Bulls 103–95 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160227/PORCHI/gameinfo.html |access-date=February 28, 2016 |archive-date=February 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160228091814/http://www.nba.com/games/20160227/PORCHI/gameinfo.html? |url-status=live }} On March 7, he recorded his second triple-double of the season with 12 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists in a 100–90 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, becoming just the fourth player 35 years or older with multiple triple-doubles in a season, joining Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce.{{Cite web |title=Butler sits with knee soreness while Bulls beat Bucks 100–90 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160307/MILCHI/gameinfo.html |access-date=March 8, 2016 |archive-date=March 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308054234/http://www.nba.com/games/20160307/MILCHI/gameinfo.html |url-status=live }} On April 2, in a loss to the Detroit Pistons, he became the 38th NBA player to reach 10,000 career rebounds. He also became the 36th with 10,000 points and 10,000 rebounds.{{Cite web |title=Jackson, Harris lift Pistons over Bulls 94–90 |website=NBA.com |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160402/DETCHI/gameinfo.html |access-date=April 3, 2016 |archive-date=April 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404060638/http://www.nba.com/games/20160402/DETCHI/gameinfo.html |url-status=live }}

=San Antonio Spurs (2016–2019)=

On July 14, 2016, Gasol signed a two-year, $30 million contract that had a player option in the second year with the San Antonio Spurs.{{Cite web |date=July 14, 2016 |title=SPURS SIGN PAU GASOL |url=http://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-sign-pau-gasol |access-date=July 14, 2016 |website=NBA.com |archive-date=July 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160716023949/http://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-sign-pau-gasol |url-status=live }} On November 11, 2016, he had season highs with 21 points and six assists in a 96–86 win over the Detroit Pistons.{{Cite web |date=November 11, 2016 |title=Gasol's season-high 21 points help Spurs end home skid |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400899577 |access-date=November 11, 2016 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=November 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112204151/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400899577 |url-status=live }} On January 19, 2017, he was ruled out indefinitely after breaking his left ring finger during pregame warmups earlier that night.{{Cite web |date=January 19, 2017 |title=Spurs center Pau Gasol breaks finger during pregame warmups |url=http://www.nba.com/article/2017/01/19/spurs-center-pau-gasol-breaks-finger-during-pregame-warmups |access-date=January 21, 2017 |website=NBA.com |archive-date=January 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121024149/http://www.nba.com/article/2017/01/19/spurs-center-pau-gasol-breaks-finger-during-pregame-warmups |url-status=live }} He underwent surgery the following day to repair a fracture of his left fourth metacarpal.{{Cite web |date=January 20, 2017 |title=PAU GASOL INJURY UPDATE |url=http://www.nba.com/spurs/pau-gasol-injury-update |access-date=January 21, 2017 |website=NBA.com |archive-date=January 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123153806/http://www.nba.com/spurs/pau-gasol-injury-update |url-status=live }} On February 24, 2017, in a 105–97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Gasol had 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench in his return from a 15-game absence because of the finger injury.{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2017 |title=Spurs kick off rust from layoff to beat Clippers 105–97 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400900271 |access-date=February 25, 2017 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=February 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170225075837/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400900271 |url-status=live }} On April 12, 2017, Gasol scored 13 points to reach 20,000 career points in a 101–97 regular-season finale loss against the Utah Jazz,{{Cite web |date=April 12, 2017 |title=Hayward scores 14, Jazz beat Spurs 101–97 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400900605 |access-date=April 13, 2017 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=April 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413121410/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400900605 |url-status=live }} becoming the second European player to reach the mark after Dirk Nowitzki.{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Jeff |date=April 13, 2017 |title=Spurs' Gasol becomes late addition to 20,000-point club |url=http://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Spurs-Gasol-becomes-late-addition-to-11071779.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414084503/http://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Spurs-Gasol-becomes-late-addition-to-11071779.php |archive-date=April 14, 2017 |access-date=April 14, 2017 |website=expressnews.com}}

On July 24, 2017, Gasol re-signed with the Spurs on a three-year, $48 million contract.{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2017 |title=SPURS RE-SIGN PAU GASOL |url=http://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-re-sign-pau-gasol |access-date=July 24, 2017 |website=NBA.com |archive-date=July 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170727144402/http://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-re-sign-pau-gasol |url-status=live }} On December 20, 2017, he had 20 points and a season-high 17 rebounds in a 93–91 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.{{Cite web |date=December 20, 2017 |title=Aldridge, Gasol lead Spurs to 93–91 win over Trail Blazers |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975214 |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=July 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710103559/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975214 |url-status=live }} On December 23, 2017, he recorded his 10th career triple-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high 10 assists in a 108–99 win over the Sacramento Kings.{{Cite web |date=December 23, 2017 |title=Spurs bounce back behind Aldridge, beat Kings 108–99 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975243 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224160942/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975243 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=NBA |date=December 23, 2017 |title=Pau Gasol recorded his 10th career triple... |url=https://twitter.com/NBA/status/944800185951145985 |access-date=December 23, 2017 |website=Twitter |archive-date=August 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814212628/https://twitter.com/NBA/status/944800185951145985 |url-status=live }} On December 26, 2017, in a 109–97 win over the Brooklyn Nets, Gasol collected his 10,817th rebound, moving him past Jack Sikma for 30th in league history.{{Cite web |date=December 26, 2017 |title=Leonard, Aldridge lead healthy Spurs past Nets, 109–97 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975248 |access-date=December 26, 2017 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=December 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227123301/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975248 |url-status=live }} On January 26, 2018, in a 97–78 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Gasol became the 34th player in NBA history to play 40,000 career minutes.{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2018 |title=Sixers beat Spurs 97–78, end 13-game skid in San Antonio |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975468 |access-date=January 26, 2018 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=January 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127202447/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975468 |url-status=live }} On March 25, 2018, he had 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 106–103 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.{{Cite web |date=March 25, 2018 |title=Giannis returns, Bucks hold on for 106–103 win over Spurs |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975841 |access-date=March 26, 2018 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=March 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326202942/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400975841 |url-status=live }}

After appearing in the first nine games of the 2018–19 season,{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol 2018–19 Game Log |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gasolpa01/gamelog/2019/ |access-date=January 1, 2019 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |archive-date=March 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308180043/https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gasolpa01/gamelog/2019/ |url-status=live }} Gasol missed the next 26 games with a stress fracture in his right foot.{{Cite web |date=December 31, 2018 |title=Spurs scored 46 in third to race past Celtics, 120–111 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401071221 |access-date=January 1, 2019 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=January 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102002128/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401071221 |url-status=live }} On March 1, 2019, he was released by the Spurs in a buyout agreement.{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2019 |title=SPURS AND PAU GASOL REACH BUYOUT AGREEMENT |url=https://www.nba.com/spurs/news/spurs-and-pau-gasol-reach-buyout-agreement |access-date=March 2, 2019 |website=NBA.com |archive-date=March 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308180045/https://www.nba.com/spurs/news/spurs-and-pau-gasol-reach-buyout-agreement |url-status=live }}

=Milwaukee Bucks (2019)=

On March 3, 2019, Gasol signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2019 |title=Bucks Sign Six-Time All-Star Pau Gasol |url=https://www.nba.com/bucks/news/bucks-sign-six-time-all-star-pau-gasol |access-date=March 3, 2019 |website=NBA.com |archive-date=March 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308180048/https://www.nba.com/bucks/news/bucks-sign-six-time-all-star-pau-gasol |url-status=live }} He played in three games for the Bucks.{{Cite web |last=Radcliffe |first=J. R. |date=May 10, 2019 |title=Pau Gasol won't play the rest of the way for the Bucks after undergoing surgery |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2019/05/10/bucks-veteran-pau-gasol-done-playoffs-after-surgery/1163733001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201130845/https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2019/05/10/bucks-veteran-pau-gasol-done-playoffs-after-surgery/1163733001/ |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |access-date=December 29, 2019 |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}} On March 23, it was reported that the Bucks expected Gasol to miss the next month due to a left ankle injury.{{Cite web |last=Andrews |first=Malika |date=March 23, 2019 |title=Sources: Gasol (ankle) expected to miss month |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26343471/sources-gasol-ankle-expected-miss-month |access-date=March 23, 2019 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324065810/http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26343471/sources-gasol-ankle-expected-miss-month |url-status=live }} Gasol's injury ended his season.{{Cite web |last=Orense |first=Ralph |date=June 13, 2019 |title=Pau Gasol Has A Preferred Offseason Landing Spot |url=https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-news-pau-gasol-would-like-to-stay-with-milwaukee/ |website=ClutchPoints |access-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229061520/https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-news-pau-gasol-would-like-to-stay-with-milwaukee/ |url-status=live }} He was unable to play in the playoffs and had surgery on his injured foot on May 9, 2019.

= Return to Barcelona (2021) =

On July 25, 2019, Gasol signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.{{Cite web |date=July 25, 2019 |title=Trail Blazers Sign Two-Time NBA Champion & Six-Time NBA All-Star Pau Gasol |url=https://www.nba.com/blazers/news/2019/7/25/blazers-sign-pau-gasol |access-date=November 22, 2019 |website=NBA.com |archive-date=March 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308180041/https://www.nba.com/blazers/news/2019/7/25/blazers-sign-pau-gasol |url-status=live }} On November 20, he was waived by the Trail Blazers without having played in a game for the team.{{Cite web |title=Trail Blazers waive veteran Pau Gasol |url=http://www.nba.com/article/2019/11/20/trail-blazers-waive-pau-gasol |date=November 20, 2019 |website=NBA.com |access-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229061518/https://www.nba.com/article/2019/11/20/trail-blazers-waive-pau-gasol |url-status=live }}

On February 23, 2021, Gasol returned to Spain to play in Liga ACB club FC Barcelona.{{Cite web |date=February 23, 2021 |title=Pau Gasol back at Barça |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/basketball/first-team/news/2037718/pau-gasol-back-at-barca |access-date=February 23, 2021 |website=fcbarcelona.com |archive-date=June 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608103823/https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/basketball/first-team/news/2037718/pau-gasol-back-at-barca |url-status=live }} He won the 2020–21 ACB championship with Barcelona and helped the team reach the final of the 2020–21 EuroLeague, where they lost to Anadolu Efes.

On October 5, 2021, Gasol announced his retirement from professional basketball.{{Cite web |last=Mathew |first=Godwin |date=2022-08-18 |title="There's a reason that the Lakers acquired that dude for Kobe" - NBA analyst strongly believes Pau Gasol deserves his jersey to be retired by the LA Lakers |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-there-s-reason-lakers-acquired-dude-kobe-nba-analyst-strongly-believes-pau-gasol-deserves-jersey-retired-la-lakers |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us |archive-date=November 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110003446/https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-there-s-reason-lakers-acquired-dude-kobe-nba-analyst-strongly-believes-pau-gasol-deserves-jersey-retired-la-lakers |url-status=live }}

National team career

File:Gasol Brothers at the 2012 Summer Olympics.jpg at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]

Gasol's first competition with the senior Spain national basketball team was the 2001 EuroBasket tournament, after having previously won the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and 1999 FIBA Under-19 World Championship with the Spanish junior teams. Being considered, against his own will, the leader of the team, Gasol ended up with the bronze medal in the competition.{{Cite web |title=Selección: Pau Gasol |url=http://www.feb.es/Documentos/Archivo/HTML/selecciones/SENIORMAS/2008/plantilla/04pau/04pau.htm |access-date=December 7, 2012 |publisher=Spanish Basketball Federation |language=es |archive-date=September 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901000846/http://www.feb.es/Documentos/Archivo/HTML/selecciones/SENIORMAS/2008/plantilla/04pau/04pau.htm |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2001 |title=Baloncesto – Europeo'01: España |url=http://www.terra.es/espdep/articulo/html/dep19033.htm |access-date=December 7, 2012 |publisher=Terra España |language=es |archive-date=February 6, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050206042400/http://www.terra.es/espdep/articulo/html/dep19033.htm |url-status=live }} Gasol was named the Spanish Sportsman of the Year, in 2001. After that, Gasol had a lot more success with the Spanish team, winning the 2006 FIBA World Championship and the 2009 and 2011 EuroBasket tournaments, being chosen as the Most Valuable Player in the first two;{{Cite web |last=Wilkinson, Simon |date=September 3, 2006 |title=FIBA – Gasol named MVP, headlines All-Tournament Team |url=http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/06_wcm/news/lateNews/p/eventid/3507/newsid/16276/FE_news_lateNews_arti.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621175911/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/06_wcm/news/lateNews/p/eventid/3507/newsid/16276/FE_news_lateNews_arti.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 21, 2007 |access-date=December 7, 2012 |publisher=FIBA}}{{Cite news |date=September 20, 2009 |title=Spain crowned kings of EuroBasket |work=BBC Sport |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/basketball/8266003.stm |access-date=September 21, 2009 |archive-date=September 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921101626/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/basketball/8266003.stm |url-status=live }} he also won silver medals at the 2003 and 2007 EuroBasket, and the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.{{Cite web |title=FIBA Archive: Pau Gasol |url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/q/Pau%20Gasol/pid//_//players.html |access-date=December 7, 2012 |publisher=FIBA |archive-date=September 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925092642/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/q/Pau%20Gasol/pid//_//players.html |url-status=dead }}

Gasol was also the highest-scoring player of the 2004 Summer Olympics,{{Cite web |title=2004 Summer Olympics: Points Leaders |url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/statistics/p/pid/28569/sid/3183/tid/362/_/2004_Olympic_Games_Tournament_for_Men/player-leaders.html |access-date=December 7, 2012 |publisher=FIBA |archive-date=October 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020234222/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/statistics/p/pid/28569/sid/3183/tid/362/_/2004_Olympic_Games_Tournament_for_Men/player-leaders.html |url-status=dead }} and Spain's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics, replacing the injured Rafael Nadal.{{Cite web |date=July 7, 2012 |title=Gasol will be Spain's flag bearer at Olympics |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/gasol-spains-flag-bearer-olympics-184017153--nba.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728021901/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/gasol-spains-flag-bearer-olympics-184017153--nba.html |archive-date=July 28, 2012 |publisher=Yahoo!}} In 2014, Gasol was named to the All-tournament team of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.{{Cite news |date=March 14, 2014 |title=Irving named MVP of 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, headlines All-Star Five |work=FIBA |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/news/irving-named-mvp-of-2014-fiba-basketball-world-cup-headlines-all-star-five |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921122511/http://www.fiba.basketball/news/irving-named-mvp-of-2014-fiba-basketball-world-cup-headlines-all-star-five |url-status=live |archive-date=September 21, 2018 |access-date=March 15, 2014}} In the 2015 EuroBasket, Gasol was named the MVP of the competition, after some amazing performances, averaging 25.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game (he was the competition leader for points per game, and 4th in rebounds per game). During the knockout matches of the competition, Gasol inspired the Spanish side which was missing many of its stars like Ricky Rubio, Juan Carlos Navarro, Álex Abrines, and his brother Marc Gasol. Gasol scored 40 points in the semifinal against France, which was half of his team's points.{{Cite news |date=September 20, 2015 |title=Gasol named MVP of Eurobasket 2015 |work=Eurobasket2015 |url=http://www.eurobasket2015.org/en/compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_2015.roundID_9322.coid_Fi2Z,V5lIrA-VyaIXh4,D2.articleMode_on.html |url-status=usurped |access-date=September 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923031737/http://www.eurobasket2015.org/en/compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_2015.roundID_9322.coid_Fi2Z,V5lIrA-VyaIXh4,D2.articleMode_on.html |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |df=mdy-all}} The 35-year-old player was also named the competition's leader for blocked shots per game (2.3).{{Cite news |date=September 20, 2015 |title=Gasol EuroBasket 2015 statistics |work=Eurobasket2015 |url=http://www.eurobasket2015.org/en/compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_2015.roundID_9322.teamID_362.playerID_28569.html |url-status=usurped |access-date=September 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917003649/http://www.eurobasket2015.org/en/compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.season_2015.roundID_9322.teamID_362.playerID_28569.html |archive-date=September 17, 2015}}

On September 7, 2017, in a game against Hungary, Gasol became FIBA EuroBasket's all-time leading scorer, passing Tony Parker with 1,033 points.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol passes Tony Parker to take FIBA EuroBasket's all-time scoring mark |url=http://www.nba.com/article/2017/09/07/pau-gasol-becomes-eurobasket-all-time-leading-scorer |access-date=September 7, 2017 |website=NBA.com |language=en |archive-date=September 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908022458/http://www.nba.com/article/2017/09/07/pau-gasol-becomes-eurobasket-all-time-leading-scorer |url-status=live }} He ended up at 1,183 total points scored at the EuroBasket. He was named to the FIBA EuroBasket 2000–2020 Dream Team in 2020.{{cite web |date=16 August 2023 |title=Διαμαντίδης και Σπανούλης στην κορυφαία πεντάδα της 20ετιας των EuroBasket |url=https://www.sport24.gr/basket/diamantidis-kai-spanoylis-psifistikan-stin-koryfaia-pentada-tis-20etias-ton-eurobasket.8989177.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709041429/https://www.sport24.gr/basket/diamantidis-kai-spanoylis-psifistikan-stin-koryfaia-pentada-tis-20etias-ton-eurobasket.8989177.html |archive-date=July 9, 2023 |access-date=11 August 2020 |website=www.sport24.gr |publisher=}}

Player profile

File:Pau Gasol by Augustas Didzgalvis.jpg]]

Listed at {{convert|7|ft|0|in}},{{efn|Gasol was listed at {{convert|7|ft|0|in}} until 2019–20, when it increased by {{convert|1|in|spell=in}} after the NBA standardized measurements across the league.{{Cite news |last=Hudon |first=Jamie |date=September 26, 2019 |title=NBA cracking down on lying about players' height |work=NBCSports.com |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/portland-trail-blazers/nba-cracking-down-lying-about-players-height |access-date=September 14, 2020 |archive-date=October 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026233753/https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/portland-trail-blazers/nba-cracking-down-lying-about-players-height |url-status=live }}}} Gasol was athletic for his size, allowing him to play both the power forward and center positions, much like fellow European players Toni Kukoč and Dirk Nowitzki. He was a refined scorer in the post and midrange; his overall game was near-ambidextrous, making it difficult for opposing teams to defend. Gasol used a variety of midrange jumpers, hook shots, up-and-under moves, and shot fakes to score very efficiently. In addition, his foot speed relative to his size allowed him to run the fast break and finish effectively. He was also a skilled passer for a big man, earning 3.2 assists per game over his career. Defensively, he is an above-average shot blocker with a career average of 1.7 blocks per game. Kobe Bryant said of Gasol, "You'd be hard-pressed to find a big [man] with his skill set in the history of the game."

Gasol recorded over 550 double-doubles in his NBA career.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol Game Finder |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi |website=Basketball-Reference.com |access-date=December 29, 2019 |archive-date=November 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101130223/https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi |url-status=live }} On April 2, 2016, he became the 36th player in NBA history to reach the 10,000-point/10,000-rebound mark. While Gasol became the 43rd player in NBA history to reach to the 20,000-point milestone, he is just the fourth with that many points, 10,000 rebounds, 3,500 assists and 1,500 blocks.{{Cite web |date=April 12, 2017 |title=Pau Gasol joins rare NBA company with 20,000th career point |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/pau-gasol-20000-points-spurs-nba-history/nls5xr8kbb1t1xtkbb0z4wfos |access-date=April 14, 2017 |website=sportingnews.com |archive-date=April 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414081358/http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/pau-gasol-20000-points-spurs-nba-history/nls5xr8kbb1t1xtkbb0z4wfos |url-status=dead }}

Personal life

File:Pau Gasol Santa Maria.jpg

Gasol remains strongly interested in medicine. He regularly visits Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, a standard stop for athletes making charitable visits in the L.A. area, but does not limit his business to visiting young patients. On one visit, he asked a group of doctors well-informed questions about their treatment of children with scoliosis. In April 2010, Gasol was scheduled to sit in on a spinal surgery, wearing surgical scrubs, with Dr. David Skaggs, the hospital's chief of orthopedic surgery. Skaggs has said, "We talk to him now almost like he is a surgical colleague."{{Cite magazine |last=Jenkins |first=Lee |date=March 29, 2010 |title=The power of Pau |page=1 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/index.htm |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-date=March 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328042948/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/index.htm |url-status=dead }} Gasol canceled his original plans to observe a surgery when he came down with a low-grade fever the day before the operation, not wishing to risk infecting anyone at the hospital. He was able to reschedule his observation for June 2010, witnessing Skaggs lead a team operating on a 13-year-old girl from Colorado with scoliosis.{{Cite web |last=Friend |first=Tom |date=August 6, 2010 |title=Dr. Gasol? Pau's love outside basketball |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=friend_tom&page=drgasol-100806 |access-date=August 7, 2010 |publisher=ESPN |archive-date=August 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818015558/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=friend_tom&page=drgasol-100806 |url-status=live }}

Gasol has a broad range of intellectual and cultural interests. He has taught himself Italian and French to go along with his childhood languages of Catalan and Spanish plus English. While with the Lakers, he and Kobe Bryant spoke to one another during games in Spanish to keep opponents from knowing their plans. Gasol also regularly reads historical novels, plays French classical music on his keyboard, and attends concerts and operas; he is a friend of Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo, and often visits him backstage after performances.

Gasol married Catherine McDonnell in July 2019. He posted a photo of his wedding on his Instagram account.{{Cite web |title=Pau on Instagram: "The most magical moment I've experienced in my entire life. It makes me so happy to share a glimpse of our wedding with all of you! We are…" |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BzrYQJSAum2/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/BzrYQJSAum2 |archive-date=December 26, 2021 |url-access=registration |access-date=July 16, 2019 |website=Instagram |language=en}}{{cbignore}} The couple's daughter Elisabet Gianna Gasol was born on September 13, 2020. Elisabet's middle name is a tribute to Bryant's late daughter and Bryant's widow Vanessa is her godmother.{{Cite web |last=McMenamin |first=Dave |date=September 13, 2020 |title=Gasols honor Bryant family with daughter's name |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29880362/pau-gasol-wife-honor-kobe-bryant-family-new-daughter-name |access-date=October 12, 2020 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027213401/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29880362/pau-gasol-wife-honor-kobe-bryant-family-new-daughter-name |url-status=live }} In December 2022, the couple announced the arrival of a son, Max.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol and Wife Cat Welcome Second Baby, a Son: 'Officially a Family of Four!' |url=https://people.com/parents/pau-gasol-and-wife-cat-welcome-second-baby/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=Peoplemag |language=en |archive-date=December 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224172150/https://people.com/parents/pau-gasol-and-wife-cat-welcome-second-baby/ |url-status=live }}

His younger brother Marc, who is {{convert|6|ft|11|in|m}} tall and weighs {{convert|255|lb|kg}}, also played for the Los Angeles Lakers.{{Cite web |date=February 7, 2019 |title=Raptors acquire Gasol from Grizzlies for package including Valanciunas |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/report-raptors-finalizing-deal-grizzlies-marc-gasol/ |access-date=2021-07-16 |website=www.sportsnet.ca |archive-date=January 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103213116/https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/report-raptors-finalizing-deal-grizzlies-marc-gasol/ |url-status=live }} Marc was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, 48th overall, in the 2007 NBA draft and his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, as part of the deal that sent Gasol to the Lakers. Their youngest brother, Adrià, played for Lausanne's basketball team; his coach at Lausanne said, "He's built like Pau, with a mean streak like Marc", although he was not at the time considered a major basketball prospect. After returning to Spain for his final two years of high school basketball, Adrià enrolled at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in August 2012 and joined the UCLA basketball team as a walk on.{{Cite news |last=Eisenberg |first=Jeff |date=August 17, 2012 |title=Adria Gasol, younger brother of Pau and Marc, will walk-on at UCLA |work=The Dagger |publisher=Yahoo! Sports |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/adria-gasol-pau-marc-younger-brother-may-walk-171348521--ncaab.html |access-date=August 22, 2012 |archive-date=August 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821131342/http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/adria-gasol-pau-marc-younger-brother-may-walk-171348521--ncaab.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=2012–13 UCLA Men's Basketball Roster |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/roster/roster_num.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114001500/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/roster/roster_num.pdf |archive-date=November 14, 2012 |website=grfx.cstv.com}}

His parents moved to the Memphis suburb of Germantown, Tennessee, after he signed with the Grizzlies, and enrolled his younger brothers Marc and Adrià in Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis.{{Cite magazine |last=Jenkins |first=Lee |date=March 29, 2010 |title=The power of Pau |page=2 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/2/index.htm |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328042948/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/index.htm |archive-date=March 28, 2010}} They planned to move to the Los Angeles area when Pau was traded to the Lakers, with Agustí accepting a job with a health-care company in that area; although the Grizzlies obtained the rights to Marc's services as part of the trade, he was expected to re-sign with his Spanish team Akasvayu Girona. However, when Marc decided to sign with the Grizzlies, their parents chose to stay in Germantown. Agustí now works from home for the same company, while Marisa now volunteers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Work and social commitment

In 2003, he was named a UNICEF ambassador,{{Cite web |last1=May 21 |last2=valores |first2=2012 {{!}} Educación |last3=NBA |last4=basket |first4=Protagonistas |last5=Esc |first5=Victor |last6=Ón {{!}} 0 {{!}} |date=May 21, 2012 |title=Pau Gasol, un jugador comprometido socialmente {{!}} {{!}} JGBasket |url=https://jgbasket.net/pau-gasol-un-jugador-comprometido-socialmente/ |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=jgbasket.net |language=es |archive-date=April 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406132204/https://jgbasket.net/pau-gasol-un-jugador-comprometido-socialmente/ |url-status=live }} and since then has repeatedly taken part in different campaigns, traveling on several occasions África to participate in its projects there. In recognition of his commitment to solidarity endeavors, he received the Corazón de Oro (Gold Heart) in 2004, awarded by the Spanish Heart Foundation,{{Cite web |last=FEC |title=Pau Gasol |url=https://fundaciondelcorazon.com/prevencion/88-testimonios-famosos/1006-pau-gasol.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Fundación Española del Corazón |language=es-es |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202543/https://fundaciondelcorazon.com/prevencion/88-testimonios-famosos/1006-pau-gasol.html |url-status=live }} and the 2010 Charitable Athlete Prize, given by the Fundación SOS. Gasol has worked in support of infant survival and for the rights of children in other African countries as well as in campaigns against malnutrition in the Horn of Africa. In addition, since his arrival in Memphis, he has worked with the Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital, which he visits every time he in the city where he lived at the start of his career.

In 2009, Gasol, along with several other NBA players, joined the "Hoops for St. Jude" charity program benefitting the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.{{Cite news |last=Berger |first=Ken |date=March 4, 2010 |title=St. Jude utilizes power of Love, NBA in fight against cancer |publisher=CBSsports.com |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13009170/st-jude-utilizes-power-of-love-nba-in-fight-against-cancer |url-status=dead |access-date=March 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902120224/http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13009170/st-jude-utilizes-power-of-love-nba-in-fight-against-cancer |archive-date=September 2, 2013}}

In 2010, UNICEF's Pau Project commenced in Ethiopia, to aid in the fight against infant malnutrition, which each year claims the lives of more than 2 million children, and for the right to an education. In December 2010 he took part, along with other NBA stars, in We Are Bigger Than Aids, a campaign against the HIV virus.{{Cite web |last=AS |first=Diario |date=December 1, 2010 |title=Pau Gasol, comprometido en la lucha contra el Sida |url=https://as.com/baloncesto/2010/12/01/mas_baloncesto/1291158011_850215.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=AS.com |language=es |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202541/https://as.com/baloncesto/2010/12/01/mas_baloncesto/1291158011_850215.html |url-status=live }}

In 2012, the Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA) stated that Pau "personifies everything that is good about NBA players and their charity projects, not only in their own communities but all over the world, working to help children achieve their goals and have the opportunities that they wouldn't be able to get otherwise." Thus, in April 2015, they gave him their Magic Johnson Award.{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2015 |title=Pau Gasol wins the 2014-15 Magic Johnson Award Professional Basketball Writers Association |url=http://probasketballwriters.org/pau-gasol-wins-magic-johnson-award/ |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Professional Basketball Writers Association |language=en-US |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202543/http://probasketballwriters.org/pau-gasol-wins-magic-johnson-award/ |url-status=live }}

In September 2018, after the publication of his book Bajo el aro (Under the Hoop) Gasol said that in spite of not being a doctor, he tries to use his public profile to help others.{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2018 |title=Pau Gasol: "No pude ser médico, así que utilizo mi perfil público para ayudar" |url=https://www.abc.es/deportes/baloncesto/abci-baloncesto-gasol-no-pude-medico-utilizo-perfil-publico-para-ayudar-201809051858_noticia.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=abc |language=es |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202542/https://www.abc.es/deportes/baloncesto/abci-baloncesto-gasol-no-pude-medico-utilizo-perfil-publico-para-ayudar-201809051858_noticia.html |url-status=live }} That same month, he joined the campaign of Spain's Fundación Atresmedia to bring families into schools.{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2018 |title=Pau Gasol, protagonista de la campaña de la Fundación Atresmedia y Gasol Foundation para acercar la familia a la escuela |url=https://www.europapress.es/epsocial/responsables/noticia-pau-gasol-protagonista-campana-fundacion-atresmedia-gasol-foundation-acercar-familia-escuela-20180913140755.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |publisher=Europa Press |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202542/https://www.europapress.es/epsocial/responsables/noticia-pau-gasol-protagonista-campana-fundacion-atresmedia-gasol-foundation-acercar-familia-escuela-20180913140755.html |url-status=live }}

In July 2019, he was named Global Champion for Nutrition and Zero Childhood Obesity by UNICEF Global.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol, nombrado Global Champion para la Nutrición y el fin de la Obesidad Infantil |url=https://www.unicef.es/noticia/pau-gasol-nombrado-defensor-mundial-para-la-nutricion-y-el-fin-de-la-obesidad-infantil |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=www.unicef.es |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014202809/https://www.unicef.es/noticia/pau-gasol-nombrado-defensor-mundial-para-la-nutricion-y-el-fin-de-la-obesidad-infantil |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Ferguson |first=Sarah |title=Fighting Childhood Obesity Is A Slam Dunk For NBA All-Star Pau Gasol |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/unicefusa/2019/09/26/fighting-childhood-obesity-is-a-slam-dunk-for-nba-all-star-pau-gasol/ |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014202807/https://www.forbes.com/sites/unicefusa/2019/09/26/fighting-childhood-obesity-is-a-slam-dunk-for-nba-all-star-pau-gasol/ |url-status=live }}

=Gasol Foundation=

In 2013, along with his brother Marc, he established the {{ill|Gasol Foundation|ca}}, to help to promote community health and healthy living habits, especially by preventing and fighting childhood obesity. In November 2015, after having been named Global Impact Player{{Cite web |last=Basket4us.com |first=Redacción |date=November 17, 2015 |title=Pau Gasol, galardonado con el 'Global Impact Player' |url=https://www.basket4us.com/nba/pau-gasol-global-impact-player-177750 |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Basket4us |language=es |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202551/https://www.basket4us.com/nba/pau-gasol-global-impact-player-177750 |url-status=live }} by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), which represents the NBA players, he created a t-shirt to help the Foundation's work.{{Cite web |date=November 20, 2015 |title=Pau Gasol celebra el premio Global Impact Player con la creación de una camiseta a favor de la Fundación Gasol |url=https://www.gasolfoundation.org/es/pau-gasol-celebra-el-premio-global-impact-player-con-la-creacion-de-una-camiseta-a-favor-de-la-fundacion-gasol/ |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Gasol Foundation |language=es-ES |archive-date=August 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806053832/https://www.gasolfoundation.org/es/pau-gasol-celebra-el-premio-global-impact-player-con-la-creacion-de-una-camiseta-a-favor-de-la-fundacion-gasol/ |url-status=dead }} In March 2017 they decided to move the Foundation's headquarters from Barcelona to Sant Boi, where he was born.{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2017 |title=La Gasol Foundation trasladará su sede de Barcelona a Sant Boi de Llobregat |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/baix-llobregat/20170314/42875530949/gasol-foundation-traslada-sede-sant-boi.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=La Vanguardia |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202540/https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/baix-llobregat/20170314/42875530949/gasol-foundation-traslada-sede-sant-boi.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2017 |title=Sant Boi estrena la sede de la Gasol Foundation |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/baix-llobregat/20170920/431429588872/sant-boi-estrena-sede-gasol-foundation.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=La Vanguardia |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202539/https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/baix-llobregat/20170920/431429588872/sant-boi-estrena-sede-gasol-foundation.html |url-status=live }} Along with his brother Marc Gasol, he has received the Special Recognition Prize from Estrategia NAOS for the work of the Gasol Foundation for fighting childhood obesity.{{Cite web |date=July 29, 2019 |title=Entrega a Pau Gasol el Premio de Especial Reconocimiento de la Estrategia NAOS |url=http://www.injuve.es/prensa/agenda/entrega-a-pau-gasol-el-premio-de-especial-reconocimiento-de-la-estrategia-naos |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Injuve, Instituto de la Juventud. |language=es |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014202818/http://www.injuve.es/prensa/agenda/entrega-a-pau-gasol-el-premio-de-especial-reconocimiento-de-la-estrategia-naos |url-status=live }}

In September 2019, the Gasol Foundation presented the Estudio Pasos, a pioneering work in studying obesity levels in kids between 8 and 18 years of age, and which also threw light on the levels of physical inactivity among children and adolescents. At the press conference to present the study, Pau Gasol called for concrete action from governments, families and the food industry to end this problem.{{Cite news |last=Alfageme |first=Ana |date=September 4, 2019 |title=Solo cuatro de cada 10 niños hacen el ejercicio diario que aconseja la OMS |language=es |work=El País |url=https://elpais.com/sociedad/2019/09/03/actualidad/1567503596_000293.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |issn=1134-6582 |archive-date=November 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111123150/https://elpais.com/sociedad/2019/09/03/actualidad/1567503596_000293.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=El estudio PASOS de la Gasol Foundation alerta sobre la obesidad infantil |url=https://www.efe.com/efe/espana/practicodeporte/el-estudio-pasos-de-la-gasol-foundation-alerta-sobre-obesidad-infantil/50000944-4055867 |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=www.efe.com |language=es |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014202805/https://www.efe.com/efe/espana/practicodeporte/el-estudio-pasos-de-la-gasol-foundation-alerta-sobre-obesidad-infantil/50000944-4055867 |url-status=live }}

=Defending equality in sports=

In May 2018, he published an open letter in The Players Tribune defending the role of women as coaches{{Cite web |last=Moda |first=S. |date=May 12, 2018 |title=La carta feminista de Pau Gasol que defiende a las entrenadoras {{!}} Actualidad |url=https://smoda.elpais.com/moda/actualidad/pau-gasol-becky-hammon-mujeres-entrenadoras-nba/ |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=S Moda EL PAÍS |language=es |archive-date=November 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104042249/https://smoda.elpais.com/moda/actualidad/pau-gasol-becky-hammon-mujeres-entrenadoras-nba/ |url-status=live }} and specifically in favor of the candidacy of Becky Hammon as an NBA coach. He noted that in its 72 years of history there has never been a woman coach and advocated adopting new social norms to meet this changing period of equality and diversity.{{Cite web |title=Why I'm Here {{!}} By Lindsay Gottlieb |url=http://projects.theplayerstribune.com/lindsay-gottlieb-why-im-here-cleveland-cavaliers |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=projects.theplayerstribune.com |language=en |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202540/http://projects.theplayerstribune.com/lindsay-gottlieb-why-im-here-cleveland-cavaliers |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2018 |title=Pau Gasol: "Os digo que Becky Hammon puede entrenar en la NBA" |url=https://www.mundodeportivo.com/baloncesto/nba/20180511/443515584784/carta-abierta-pau-gasol-the-players-tribune-becky-hammon-puede-entrenar-nba.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=Mundo Deportivo |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021202540/https://www.mundodeportivo.com/baloncesto/nba/20180511/443515584784/carta-abierta-pau-gasol-the-players-tribune-becky-hammon-puede-entrenar-nba.html |url-status=live }}

=Membership in sporting associations and clubs=

From 2017 to 2020,{{Cite web |last=Goldberg |first=Rob |date=February 17, 2020 |title=Kyrie Irving Elected as NBPA Vice President to Replace Pau Gasol |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2876766-kyrie-irving-reportedly-elected-as-nbpa-vice-president-to-replace-pau-gasol |access-date=2021-07-16 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en |archive-date=February 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210111256/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2876766-kyrie-irving-reportedly-elected-as-nbpa-vice-president-to-replace-pau-gasol |url-status=live }} he was vice president of the NBPA (National Basketball Players Association, of the NBA).{{Cite web |title=Leadership - National Basketball Players Association |url=https://www.nbpa.com/leadership |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=www.nbpa.com |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014202810/https://www.nbpa.com/leadership |url-status=live }} He was the first player to participate in the executive committee of this association without previously having been in the NCAA.{{Cite web |last=AS |first=Diario |date=February 18, 2017 |title=Pau Gasol, primer extranjero en el sindicato de jugadores NBA |url=https://as.com/baloncesto/2017/02/18/nba/1487416291_566773.html |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=AS.com |language=es |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014202808/https://as.com/baloncesto/2017/02/18/nba/1487416291_566773.html |url-status=live }}

Since June 2019, Pau Gasol has been a member of the Advisory Council of Spanish Sport (CADE), which is part of the Association of Spanish Sport (ADESP). In addition, he is Strategic Advisor and Global Ambassador for Barça in the United States. From this position he defends the values of sports and the proposals toward healthy living advocated by his Foundation.{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol, asesor estratégico y embajador global del Barça en Estados Unidos |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/noticias/1106167/pau-gasol-asesor-estrategico-y-embajador-global-del-barca-en-estados-unidos |access-date=October 21, 2019 |website=www.fcbarcelona.es |language=es |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014202805/https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/noticias/1106167/pau-gasol-asesor-estrategico-y-embajador-global-del-barca-en-estados-unidos |url-status=live }}

Career statistics

{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y|leader=y}}

=NBA=

==Regular season==

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2001}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 82 || 79 || 36.7 || .518 || .200 || .709 || 8.9 || 2.7 || .5 || 2.1 || 17.6

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2002}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 82 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 82* || 36.0 || .510 || .100 || .736 || 8.8 || 2.8 || .4 || 1.8 || 19.0

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2003}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 78 || 78 || 31.5 || .482 || .267 || .714 || 7.7 || 2.5 || .6 || 1.7 || 17.7

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2004}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 56 || 53 || 32.0 || .514 || .167 || .768 || 7.3 || 2.4 || .7 || 1.7 || 17.8

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2005}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 80 || 80 || 39.2 || .503 || .250 || .689 || 8.9 || 4.6 || .6 || 1.9 || 20.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2006}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 59 || 59 || 36.2 || .538 || .273 || .748 || 9.8 || 3.4 || .5 || 2.1 || 20.8

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2007}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 39 || 39 || 36.7 || .501 || .267 || .819 || 8.8 || 3.0 || .4 || 1.4 || 18.9

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2007|nolink=y}}

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 27 || 27 || 34.0 || .589 || .000 || .789 || 7.8 || 3.5 || .5 || 1.6 || 18.8

|-

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|2008}}†

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 81 || 81 || 37.0 || .567 || .500 || .781 || 9.6 || 3.5 || .6 || 1.0 || 18.9

|-

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|2009}}†

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 65 || 65 || 37.0 || .536 || .000 || .790 || 11.3 || 3.4 || .6 || 1.7 || 18.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2010}}

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 82 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 82* || 37.0 || .529 || .333 || .823 || 10.2 || 3.3 || .6 || 1.6 || 18.8

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2011}}

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 65 || 65 || 37.4 || .501 || .259 || .782 || 10.4 || 3.6 || .6 || 1.4 || 17.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2012}}

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 49 || 42 || 33.8 || .466 || .286 || .702 || 8.6 || 4.1 || .5 || 1.2 || 13.7

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2013}}

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 60 || 60 || 31.4 || .480 || .286 || .736 || 9.7 || 3.4 || .5 || 1.5 || 17.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2014}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Chicago

| 78 || 78 || 34.4 || .494 || .462 || .803 || 11.8 || 2.7 || .3 || 1.9 || 18.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2015}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Chicago

| 72 || 72 || 31.8 || .469 || .348 || .792 || 11.0 || 4.1 || .6 || 2.0 || 16.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2016}}

| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio

| 64 || 39 || 25.4 || .502 || .538 || .707 || 7.8 || 2.3 || .4 || 1.1 || 12.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|2017}}

| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio

| 77 || 63 || 23.5 || .458 || .358 || .756 || 8.0 || 3.1 || .3 || 1.0 || 10.1

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|2018}}

| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio

| 27 || 6 || 12.2 || .466 || .500 || .711 || 4.7 || 1.9 || .2 || .5 || 4.2

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|2018|nolink=y}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee

| 3 || 0 || 10.0 || .167 || .333 || .500 || 3.3 || .7 || .0 || .3 || 1.3

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| Career

| 1,226 || 1,150 || 33.4 || .507 || .368 || .753 || 9.2 || 3.2 || .5 || 1.6 || 17.0

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| All-Star

| 6 || 1 || 19.3 || .565 || .000 || .846 || 8.7 || 1.2 || .7 || .7 || 10.5

{{s-end}}

==Playoffs==

{{NBA player statistics start}}

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2004

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 4 || 4 || 33.5 || .571 || – || .900 || 5.0 || 2.5 || 1.0 || 1.5 || 18.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2005

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 4 || 4 || 33.3 || .488 || 1.000 || .500 || 7.5 || 2.5 || .5 || 1.8 || 21.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2006

| style="text-align:left;"| Memphis

| 4 || 4 || 39.5 || .433 || .000 || .767 || 6.8 || 3.0 || .5 || 1.2 || 20.3

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2008

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 21 || 21 || 39.8 || .530 || – || .692 || 9.3 || 4.0 || .5 || 1.9 || 16.9

|-

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|2009

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 23 || 23 || 40.5 || .580 || – || .714 || 10.8 || 2.5 || .8 || 2.0 || 18.3

|-

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|2010

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 23 || 23 || 39.7 || .539 || .000 || .759 || 11.1 || 3.5 || .4 || 2.1 || 19.6

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2011

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 10 || 10 || 35.8 || .420 || .500 || .800 || 7.8 || 3.8 || .4 || 1.7 || 13.1

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2012

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 12 || 12 || 37.0 || .434 || .400 || .828 || 9.5 || 3.7 || .5 || 2.1 || 12.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2013

| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers

| 4 || 4 || 36.5 || .481 || – || .545 || 11.5 || 6.3 || .5 || .8 || 14.0

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2015

| style="text-align:left;"| Chicago

| 10 || 10 || 31.7 || .487 || .000 || .762 || 9.4 || 3.1 || .5 || 2.1 || 14.4

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2017

| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio

| 16 || 7 || 22.8 || .439 || .333 || .708 || 7.1 || 1.9 || .4 || .9 || 7.7

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2018

| style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio

| 5 || 0 || 18.0 || .500 || .333 || .900 || 4.8 || 2.8 || .0 || .2 || 6.0

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| Career

| 136 || 122 || 35.5 || .508 || .297 || .741 || 9.2 || 3.2 || .5 || 1.7 || 15.4

{{s-end}}

=EuroLeague=

{{Euroleague player statistics start}}

|-

! colspan="14" | FIBA EuroLeague

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00{{Cite web |title=Pau Gasol | EuroLeague Men (2000) | FIBA Europe |url=http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_,Uz02qBnJiADOq5VntEf53.roundID_2571.season_2000.teamID_1030.playerID_28569.html |website=www.fibaeurope.com |access-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228164532/http://www.fibaeurope.com/compID_,Uz02qBnJiADOq5VntEf53.roundID_2571.season_2000.teamID_1030.playerID_28569.html |url-status=live }}

| style="text-align:left;"| Barcelona

| 21 || 8 || 13.4 || .545 || .333 || .609 || 2.1 || .3 || .1 || .2 || 4.3 || 3.6

|-

! colspan="14" | EuroLeague

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01{{Cite web |title=GASOL, PAU - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL |url=https://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=ADF&seasoncode=E2000 |website=www.euroleague.net |access-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223212005/https://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=ADF&seasoncode=E2000 |url-status=live }}

| style="text-align:left;"| Barcelona

| 6 || 5 || 25.7 || .667 || .500 || .738 || 6.0 || .7 || .8 || .7 || 18.5 || 22.5

|-

| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21{{Cite web |title=GASOL, PAU - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL |url=https://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=ADF&seasoncode=E2020#!E2020_RS |website=www.euroleague.net |access-date=September 16, 2021 |archive-date=September 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916130517/https://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=ADF&seasoncode=E2020#!E2020_RS |url-status=live }}

| style="text-align:left;"| Barcelona

| 7 || 2 || 9.5 || .429 || .500 || .714 || 2.4 || .4 || .4 || .9 || 4.6 || 6.0

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| Career

| 34 || 15 || 14.8 || .573 || .414 || .694 || 2.9 || .4 || .3 || .4 || 6.9 || 7.4

{{s-end}}

Awards and honours

=Liga ACB and EuroLeague=

=NBA=

  • NBA champion (2009, 2010)
  • All-NBA Second Team selection (2011, 2015)
  • All-NBA Third Team selection (2009, 2010)
  • NBA All-Star (2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016)
  • NBA Rookie of the Year Award (2002)
  • NBA All-Rookie First Team (2002)
  • [https://pr.nba.com/all-time-nba-european-team/ All-Time NBA European First Team]: (2022)
  • Gasol's no. 16 was retired by the Los Angeles Lakers on March 7, 2023{{cite web |last1=Beacham |first1=Greg |title=Pau Gasol gets emotional as Lakers retire his No. 16 jersey |url=https://apnews.com/article/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-582b86fdb7c50484544e1c3c62e9ebba |website=AP News |access-date=March 8, 2023 |date=March 7, 2023 |archive-date=March 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308073114/https://apnews.com/article/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-582b86fdb7c50484544e1c3c62e9ebba |url-status=live }}

=European Player of the Year awards=

=Spanish national team=

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}