Retired, Pau Gasol Recalls Kobe Bryant: He Taught Me How To Be A Good Leader

Pau Gasol (Twitter @paugasol)

JAKARTA - Pau Gasol announced his retirement from basketball on Tuesday. He ended a career that spanned more than two decades and earned him two NBA titles and one world championship gold with the Spanish national team.

The 41-year-old Gasol had announced his separation from international basketball in August after Spain lost to the United States in the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Olympics, marking his fifth Olympics.

Gasol has been playing with Spanish club Barcelona since February. His career stalled before that due to a fractured left leg which kept him out of action for almost two years.

"I will retire from professional basketball," Gasol said, according to MARCA. "It's a difficult decision after so many years, but it's a decision that I really think about."

The retirement announcement was made at an event at an opera house in Barcelona which was attended by former teammates and members of his family, including his wife, daughter, and brother, Marc.

Throughout his career, Gasol has 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.

He finished third in the 2001 NBA draft, was selected by Atlanta, and sold to Memphis.

Gasol last played in the NBA with the Bucks in 2019. He signed with the Portland Trail Blazers that year but never played.

Gasol won the world title with Spain in 2006, in addition to the European titles in 2009, 2011, and 2015.

He helped Spain win Olympic silver medals in 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in London, as well as bronze in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

Recently, Gasol won an election to represent athletes on the International Olympic Committee for the next seven years.

He joins an IOC membership roster drawn from various European and Middle Eastern royal families, international sporting bodies, business leaders, and 12 athletes selected by their peers.

In his farewell ceremony, Gasol also remembered his 'older brother' and his late colleague Kobe Bryant.

"I really want to mention Kobe Bryant in a special way. I really wanted him to be here. Sometimes life can be so unfair, and we miss him and his daughter 'Gigi' so much.

"He taught me how to be a good leader, a better competitor. He showed me what it means to be a winner. I've always thought of him as my big brother, so thank you, Kobe."

Hoping that Kobe Bryant could be by his side, Pau Gasol finally ended a basketball career that far surpassed his dreams and hopes.