Pau Gasol retires from professional basketball

Pau Gasol announced his retirement from professional basketball today, ending a career that spanned two decades. During this time, he won two NBA titles and a world championship gold with Spain’s national team.

“In the end, playing until the age of 41, with everything that I have done, I think that’s not bad,” Gasol said. “I’m very pleased and very grateful for having the career that I had and for receiving so much affection and support.”

“I’m going to retire from professional basketball,” Gasol said. “It’s a difficult decision after so many years, but it’s a decision that I really thought over.”

Gasol most recently featured for Barcelona, having joined them in February of this year. averaged 17 points and 9.2 rebounds in 1,226 regular-season games with five NBA teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks.

“I really would have liked for him to be here,” Gasol said. “Sometimes life can be very unfair and we miss him and his daughter ‘Gigi’ a great deal. He taught me how to be a better leader, a better competitor. He showed me what it meant to be a winner. I have always considered him my older brother, so thank you, Kobe.”

“It’s been one of the most beautiful periods of my career,” he said. “And to play again with the Spanish national team was something very special. We weren’t able to come away with a medal (at the Tokyo Olympics), but just being able to play was a great success for me.