Paul Gasol retired from professional basketball at the age of 41.
Forty-one years ago, in the summer of 1980, Agusti Gasol and Marisa Gasol, a former basketball player and a couple who practiced medicine in the 1970s, gave birth to their eldest son, Paul Gasol. The second son, Marc Gasol, was born in January 1985.
Paul was seven years old — when Mark was two — and went to play in the youth team. It is said that he was very intelligent and gentle from an early age. And, because of the picky eater, he was skinny.
In 1992, the Dream Team came to Barcelona, the hometown of Paul Gasol, for the Olympic Games. Jordan, the magicians, and the Barkleys, destroyed the world with song and dance. He suddenly wanted to be an NBA-level organization guard.
He got rid of his picky eating problem and started eating like crazy, swallowing ham and bread as a dream.
A year later, he had grown to 183 centimeters: only 13 years old. So he went to be the elder again.
In 1998, Paul Gasol led the Barcelona youth team to the World High School Basketball Invitational Tournament and the European Youth Championship.
In the summer of 2001, Paul Gasol went to the United States in a thrilling way: the NBA had previously paid a maximum of $350,000 to buy out other European players, while Barcelona had shouted a sky-high price of $2.5 million. Fortunately, Paul had a good agent: Herbo Rudoue, who coaxed the Grizzlies to take Gasol from a high position — even higher than NCAA Player of the Year Sean Battier.
He didn't have to think about integration from the start: Gasol scored 27 points in his first NBA game, averaged 17.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in the first season, and amazing passes that surprised NBA guard guards.
At the end of three NBA seasons, at the age of 24, he is already the outstanding inner line of the NBA's younger generation. It's just that memphis old man Hubby Brown's style of play is not in line with his elegant style.
In the summer of 2004, he was offered a six-year, 86 million contract. The contract was a sharp double-edged sword: his future and position were as bright and pleasing as a sword blade, and his responsibilities were slowly strangling his body.
In 2005, he was recognized as Fraterlo's head coach, using him as the team's inner axis. However, injuries prevented Gasol from being able to keep up. His fourth NBA season was settled 4-0 in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
This summer, perhaps tired of the Grizzlies hinting at his soft "GAYSOL" nickname, he began to grow a "Adams the Grizzlies" style beard.
In the 2005–06 season, Paulo Gasol was named to the All-Star team – the first player in Spanish history to be named an NBA All-Star. In addition to averaging more than 20 points per game, he also has 4.6 assists. He's domineering:
"When I got this contract, I wanted to prove I was worth it."
"I've never been afraid of any type of player, no matter how good his physical qualities are!"
In the summer of 2006, he led the team to Japan as the leader of Spain to participate in the World Championships. The pomp and circumstance of his return to Spain, in terms of Wally Szebiac, described it as "simply the beatles have been resurrected." ”
He, along with Gabajoza and Juan Navarro, led Spain to an invincible position. Compared with Spain, which finished sixth at the 2004 Athens Olympics, this time Spain has one more backbone. When Paul came down, a hand would reach out and high-five him. They would lean over each other's shoulders as if to prove that they meant something different to each other:
21-year-old brother Marc Gasol.
They won the 2006 World Championship with only one regret: Paul Gasol, who led the team to beat Argentina in the semi-finals, one step away from the top of the world, collapsed due to injury.
On the day of the final, Marc Gasol appeared, wrapped in a red coat on his broad body, and written on his chest: "PAU TAMBIEN JUEGA" - "Paul is still present." "His hairstyle is the same as his brother's, and the thick hair on his chin looks like it."
A year later, in the final of the European Championships, Gasol took Spain to lose to AK47-led Russia. Russia relied on tough defense to grind to the end, and American-American guard Jr Holder made a deadlock.
This is the journey of Paul Gasol until the age of 27:
- A young and promising Spanish genius.
—A straightforward NBA journey.
—Spain's first NBA All-Star.
- The playoffs are almost there.
- World Champion and World Championship MVP, but did not play in the final.
— European Championship final, lost to rougher but harder Russia.
He was gorgeous and talented. But not tough enough.
He can rebound in front of the court; shoot in the open position; and receive the ball near the basket after walking to complete the hook or dunk. But in the NBA, it is not his strength to continue to require him to eat opponents alone.
Then in February 2008, he went to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles has great ties to Spain: this coast was originally called the City of God by Spanish navigators. In 1781, it was renamed the City of Angels. In 1850, after being slaughtered several times on several maps, it was finally incorporated into U.S. territory, where only 1,600 people lived there—mostly of Spanish descent.
On the day the deal went to the Lakers, Gasol told Marca:
"Unbelievable! It affected me too much. Tomorrow night I will be part of this great team, a team that has a great tradition in the NBA and is capable of winning games. I need a championship ring so much. This is a new beginning in my career and life, and I am very happy. ”
The 2007-08 Lakers were one of the most turbulent seasons in team history.
The previous summer, Bryant had asked for a trade, which he didn't give up until after the season had started. Andrew Bynum grew into the team starter, the Lakers gasped for glory until January 2008, and then Bynum was injured. He missed the first game, and Bryant scored 48 points on 21-of-44 shooting in Seattle.
Seeing that the Lakers are about to enter the mode of Kobe Bryant's scoring king in the first two years.
Then Gasol came.
On February 5, 2008, Gasol made his debut for the Lakers. From then until the end of February, the Lakers lost only one game.
That year, the Lakers completed their revival and went all the way to the Finals, only to lose to the Celtics' tough forward group. That summer, Gasol took Spain to the Olympic final, losing to Bryant.
Then, in 2009, the Lakers won the championship. Gasol himself led Spain to defeat Serbia and win the European championship – three years after he won the world championship.
As we all know, in the so-called triangle attack of Zen masters, the elder man is a very important link - Coach Winter described that The Philadelphia of Chamberlain in 1967 and the Bucks of Tiangou in 1971 have all used the triangle attack to some extent. When Jordan first started attacking with triangles in Chicago, he was still very unaccustomed to the fact that he had to pass the ball to Cartwright; the Sharks and Kobe Bryant played triangle offense, and they would also fight for the ball.
But Gasol didn't have that problem.
In the Lakers' triangle offense, he is a lot of variations. He can act as a low-post axis on the three-man side, or he can run to the two-man side and do a blocking attack with Kobe Bryant on the empty side.
His cover, passing and guard-like command brain are the lubricant for the Lakers' offense. He's not a good tackle in the NBA world, but that's okay.
Once he was criticized by Memphis fans for being too soft, not tough enough, too selfless, at the Lakers, these have become advantages.
Before the 2010 Western Conference Finals, Stoudemire was still arrogantly provocative, saying that Gasol was not hard enough, and finally the Lakers still passed the sun, went to the Finals to play the Celtics, and won the championship.
Unlike the great giants of the year — McCann, Chamberlain, Abbad, Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar, sharks — Gasol is not the Lakers' inner behemoth, but a high-command tower. He won't fight with Kobe Bryant like a shark, and he won't let the Zen master wonder like Riley, "which should be the core of the sky hook or the magician?" He's content with his duty, adding beautiful Spanish-style lace to the Lakers in a variety of ways: his interior offense, his smart shift, his incision and frontcourt rebounding, his and Kobe's blocking.
He wasn't Kobe Bryant's strongest partner. But it's certainly Kobe's favorite partner.
Between the ages of 21 and 27, Paul Gasol experienced all the pain, and then in the last 23 months, he enjoyed all the joys imaginable as a basketball player. At the age of thirty, he became a winner in life: in a giant that suited his style and blood, he played his most accustomed role, lifted the championship trophy in North America, Europe and Japan, and is moving towards the most successful NBA European foreign aid in history.
So the 2010 NBA championship. Winner of the 2011 European Championships. At the 2012 London Olympics, he lost again to the United States, runners-up.
Since 2006-2012, Gasol's Spain has been the strongest team in the world after the United States – everyone probably thinks so.
He didn't go to euro 2013 because:
1998 FIBA Under-18 World Championships, 1999 FIBA Under-19 World Championships, 2000 FIBA Under-20 World Championships, 2001 European Championships, 2002 World Championships, 2003 European Championships, 2004 Olympic Games, 2006 World Championships, 2007 European Championships, 2008 Olympic Games, 2009 European Championships, 2011 European Championships, 2012 Olympic Games – after participating in these, He felt he could fade out of the Spanish national team.
At the end of the first half of the 2013 European Championship semi-finals Spain vs France, he tweeted:
"Incredible first half! Excellent on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends! 20 minutes more!!! At that time, Spain led France 34-20.
The next push is:
"It's important to stay nervous at the beginning of the second half! France will try to fight back! ”
"Worked hard! It's hard to lose in extra time like that, but we have to recover and go to Sunday to fight for the bronze medal! At that time, Spain had just lost 75-79.
Tony Parker took France to the European Championship.
In the 2014-15 season, the 35-year-old Gasol was another All-Star in three years, averaging a career-high 11.8 rebounds and a brilliant single-game 46 points.
In the summer, he traveled to Lille, France, to compete in the European Championships.
In the semi-finals, Spain against hosts and defending European champions France. The French front line is Batum, Dior, Gobert, and the defenders are Parker, De Corro, Fournier and Pietrus — simply put, a set of old NBA acquaintances.
And it's the Home Of France.
The 35-year-old Gasol shot 12-of-12 from 18-of-16 shooting and had 40 points and 11 rebounds. Gasol turned over with his left waist to shoot, up and down to swing the back jump shot to make Gobert unable to do anything, and at least three times in the game to run fast to catch the ball and follow the dunk - he is 35 years old, can he still run?
And, against France, he had a three-point line shot after a fake move to break through the dunk, which was officially recognized by the FIBA as the best goal in the tournament.
I went specifically to Lille to see the final. French fans cheered lithuania. The Lithuanian centre-forward is Valanciunas.
Lithuania was so jealous of Gasol that as soon as Spain used the Ruhr + Gasol block, it double-handedly attacked Gasol - so Spain's first 4 points, from The Ruhr breakthrough layup: "You pinch Gasol, then I will pass under the basket." ”
After that, Ruhr was still a high block to remove the hanging pass, Gasol took valenciens a step ahead of Valanciunas, dunk: Spain's 11th point, early lead.
— When Rudi Fernandez tried to make a mid-air relay with Gasol and missed a layup, Lithuanian fans gave them even more cheerful applause than they scored.
- With 2 minutes and 37 seconds left in the first quarter, Gasol received a ground pass to the basket and was booed with chagrin. Lithuanians, French, all the same.
In the first quarter, Spain scored 19 points, of which Gasol scored 8 points. In the second quarter, Gasol handed the ball to Mirotic high and assisted the latter's three-pointer. With 1 minute and 11 seconds left in the second quarter, Gasol held the ball on his left waist and faced Valanciunas.
The two strongest inside lines of the competition are serious one-on-one.
Gasol turned and faced Valansiunas, and in the sound of "Lithuanian LIETUVA", Gasol's left foot tentative step, once, twice, three times, Varanshenas adjusted his pace and elbows to prevent Gasol from cutting into the basket; Gasol stuck to Varanshenas sideways, and suddenly cut into the middle of the road before Varanshenas put his elbow on his waist - this moment, the "Lithuanian" roar magically stopped - and then got up to shoot, Varanshenas' defense came a little slower: Gasol scored.
There was a kind of "cry" mixed with awe, sigh, and hatred.
In the second quarter, Lithuania relied on Sebutis's long-range fire to recover a section, and in the third quarter, Karnetis occasionally provided some sparks. Lithuania was briefly on the rise in the middle of section III, but:
Gasol started from the three-point line, turned to the back basket, and finally turned over and shot.
- Gasol's back draws the pinch, hitting the earth to Clayvey, clevey dunks.
Gasol threw a three-pointer. The audience "booed".
In the FIBA world, Gasol can do anything.
Picking up the ball near the three-point line can be blocked on the spot and can be passed by hand.
Take the ball in the middle distance, shoot on the spot, you can break through the basket.
Take the ball when you're fast and he can dunk straight.
With the ball on his left waist, he tried a left-flip hook for both Gobert and Valansunas, and also tried to cut in the big dream bottom line.
He couldn't carry the ball from Valanciunas deep, it didn't matter, he just took the ball a meter outside the three-second zone, then lowered his center of gravity, changed at a rapid pace, and flashed into the box.
Then, the championship came naturally.
He got the MVP himself. King of Europe, 35 years old.
NBA fans may have a hard time realizing this, but in Europe, Paul Gasol is the god of basketball.
— Similar to Louis Scola to South America, Yao Ming to us.
Coincidentally, all three were born in 1980.
When Scola finished runner-up at the World Championships with Argentina in 2002, the first centre-forward was 22-year-old Yao Ming.
In 2004, Yao Ming was the Olympic rebounding champion, scoring third: Gasol was the top scorer.
In 2006 Gasol won the World Championship and MVP, and the scorer of the tournament was Yao Ming.
2008 Olympic scorers, top three: Gasol, Yao Ming and Scola.
Scoring champion Scola at the 2010 World Championships.
Yao Ming retired the following year.
The NBA world has a wider space (Luka Doncic's exact words) that encourage speed and breakthroughs.
The FIBA world is more sophisticated and tough. So the FIBA world is always better for those who may not necessarily sprint, but have small technical details of the blocking expert, sharpshooter or giant.
In the NBA, Gasol, Scola and Yao Ming are not as good as Dirk.
But in the FIBA world, Gasol is to Europe, Scola is to South America, probably yao Ming is to Asia.
After Yao Ming retired in 2011, Gasol and Scola of the same age both passed their peak but continued to accumulate honors.
In 2017 Gasol became the all-time scorer of the European Championships.
In 2019 Scola became the second highest scorer at the World Championships.
It could be said that Dirk (and perhaps add Giannis) is the Zenith of Europeans in the NBA.
And Paul Gasol is the 21st century King of Europe in the FIBA world.
Why can you beat to the age of 41?
Gasol played in the first three years of the NBA, with 82, 82, and 78 games.
Fourth-year injuries missed 26 games, so Gasol did not go to the 2005 European Championships.
After injury in the 2006-07 season, he began to reduce his shooting — from then on, he didn't average 20 points per game, but in exchange for a relatively healthy performance.
After Gasol won the championship in 2010, he did not die in the championship. As a result, the defending champions Spain did not go far.
In 2013, he did not go to the European Championships.
After the 2017 European Championships, it basically faded out of the Spanish national team.
He can play until the age of 41, which is not only his maintenance, but also related to his own playing style and rest.
It is true that he is not hard enough in the NBA, but he has a good role positioning, has a more comfortable transformation and rest, and thus has a longer and more tenacious and excellent career.
So at the age of 30, he reached the peak of his life; at the age of 35, he was still the king of Europe.
Yao Ming, who is the same age as Gasol, was also very healthy in the first three years of the NBA, playing 82, 82 and 82 games.
Injuries began in 2005.
Yao Ming's FIBA participation record in those years:
2001 Asian Championships, 2002 World Championships, 2003 Asian Championships, 2004 Diamond Cup and Olympic Games, 2005 Asian Championships, 2006 (after left foot big toe and left foot bone injury) Stankovic Cup and World Championships, 2008 (after spring stress fractures) Diamond Cup and Olympic Games.
When they fought in the 2009 playoffs, Gasol was just about to start his peak.
And this is Yao Ming's sixth NBA game.