Pau Gasol returns to Spain to play in Barcelona, the team announcing that his business will last until June 30.
The 40-year-old began his professional basketball career in Barcelona in 1998-99, spending three seasons in the ACB League with the club and playing with the team in the inaugural Euroleague season (2000-01) before making the leap. in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2001-02 season. He was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in his first season with Memphis.
“I am happy to return to the club where I started and I am delighted with this new opportunity: I hope to contribute to the first team very soon. I want to thank Barça and its technical staff for making it possible to join,” Gasol said in -a statement.
Very happy to be back home. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Go to Barcelona! 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/6CewIY2Bil– Pau Gasol (@paugasol) February 23, 2021
Barcelona coach Sarunas Jasikevicius was Gasol’s teammate in the 2000-01 season, when Barcelona won titles in the Copa del Rey de Baloncesto and Liga ACB. Gasol was the MVP of both finals.
On Saturday, Gasol denied reports in the Spanish press that he had reached an agreement with Barcelona, writing on Twitter that he remained “focused on my recovery and I am not ready to return to the competition yet”.
Gasol tried to regain his fitness to be ready to play in the fifth Olympic game. He said last year that he has to play this season to give himself a chance to get to Tokyo. He has won three Olympic medals with Spain.
Gasol, a six-time NBA All-Star, won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers after being traded to Los Angeles from Memphis in 2008. He also played for the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks and has career averages. of 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds.
He last played in the NBA in 2018-19, finishing the season with Milwaukee.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.