Pau Gasol returns to Spain to play for Barcelona, with the team announcing that their agreement extends until June 30.
The great 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 season of the Euroleague (2000-01) , before jumping into the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2001-02 season. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season with Memphis.
“I am happy to return to the club where I started and I am excited about this new opportunity: I hope to contribute to the first team very soon. I want to thank Barça and their technical staff for making their incorporation possible,” Gasol said in a statement. .
Very happy to be home. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Go to Barcelona! 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/6CewIY2Bil– Pau Gasol (@paugasol) February 23, 2021
Barcelona coach Sarunas Jasikevicius was Gasol’s teammate during the 2000-01 season when Barcelona won titles in the King’s Basketball Cup and the ACB League. Gasol was MVP of both finals.
On Saturday, Gasol had denied reports from the Spanish media that he had reached an agreement with Barcelona, and wrote on Twitter that he was still “focused on my recovery and that I am not yet ready to compete again.”
Gasol has been trying to regain his fitness to be ready to play in his fifth Olympics. He said last year that he had to play this season to give himself a chance to get to Tokyo. He is a three-time Olympic medalist with Spain.
Gasol, a six-time NBA 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 an average of 17 , 0 professional 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.