Due to his wife, the Grizzlies Memphis all-time two players have officially announced there retirements due to…
Tennessee’s Memphis On Wednesday, the legendary Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies formally announced his retirement from basketball. Ten of Gasol’s thirteen NBA seasons were spent in Memphis.
In 2008, the Lakers selected Gasol, at 39, in the draft; however, he was later traded to the Grizzlies for his brother Pau. He had a key role in the “Grit and Grind” phase of the franchise in Memphis. In addition to being selected to the All-Rookie squad, he was twice selected to the All-NBA, a three-time All-Star, and the 2012–2013 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Six times, including in 2013, Gasol assisted the Grizzlies in making it to the Western Conference Finals. After that, he would be traded to the Toronto Raptors, where he would close off 2019 with his first and only championship.
and lone championship in 2019 before playing for the Los Angeles Lakers to end his NBA career.
In terms of field goals (4,341), rebounds (5,942), blocked shots (1,135), free throws (2,701), and minutes played (25,917), Gasol leads the Grizzlies all-time. The Grizzlies, owned by Robert Pera, stated upon Gasol’s trade that Zach Randolph, a player from the Grit and Grind era, and the Spaniard will one day have their jerseys retired.
Marc Gasol crafted his NBA legacy over a 14-year period. After playing with the Memphis Grizzlies for 11 years, he undoubtedly became a legend. However, Gasol is prepared to hang up his sneakers after a lifetime of victories and awards.
On Wednesday, Gasol made his retirement formally known through The Daily Memphian’s Drew Hill. His jersey will be retired by the Grizzlies.
In the 2007 NBA Draft, Gasol was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 48th overall pick. But on draft night, he and his brother Pau Gasol were moved, and the big man ended up joining the Grizzlies.
At the beginning of the 2008–2009 season, Gasol made his team debut, and he did not disappoint. He played in all 82 games, scoring 11.9 points, pulling down 7.4 rebounds, and
1.1 blocks per contest despite making 53% of their shots from the field. The All-Rookie Second-Team was named to Gasol.
Gasol’s career with the Grizzlies took off from that point on. With the squad, he played in 769 games and averaged 15.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per contest. He was the 2012–2013 Defensive Player of the Year winner, a three-time All-Star, and a two-time selection to the NBA All-Star team.
However, Gasol’s biggest NBA achievement did not come until he departed the Grizzlies. Gasol won the NBA Championship in 2019 while playing for the Toronto Raptors. Two years later, he played one more season with the Los Angeles Lakers before announcing his retirement.
