Marc Gasol is a Grizzly
It's official, Marc Gasol will play with the Grizzlies' jersey next season. Marc revealed the news in a press conference some hours ago and admitted to have taken the decision last weekend. Best of luck!
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/new...6108/arti.htmlESP – Marc Gasol to leave for NBA
GIRONA (Olympics) – Marc Gasol expects to be an NBA player once his Olympic campaign in China is over with Spain.
The most valuable player of the ACB this season, Gasol called a press conference on Monday in Girona and announced he was leaving for the world’s most glamorous league.
The Memphis Grizzlies own his rights after acquiring them in the trade that sent Gasol’s brother, Pau, to the Los Angeles Lakers in mid-season.
"I have called this press conference to announce my decision to leave for the NBA,” Gasol said to the assembled media.
"To all those teams that have made me an offer for next season, if I have hindered them by my decision, I'm sorry.
“The decision to go to the NBA I only took it this weekend and it's a case of finding a new motivation in a new place.”
When asked if he expected to play for the Grizzlies, the club of his brother for so many years, Gasol said: "It doesn't depend on me but on Memphis. If there are changes (a trade to another franchise), I will have to accept them.”
Pau Gasol has given Marc a lot of advice in recent times, with the most valuable being to leave Barcelona a couple of seasons ago for Akasvayu Girona following the 2006 FIBA World Championship.
The younger Gasol was receiving very little playing time under then Barca boss Dusko Ivanovic.
Gasol played under Svetislav Pesic in his first season at Akasvayu and won the EuroCup, while this year he was the club’s top player, helping them reach the ULEB Cup final and the ACB play-offs.
Barcelona were among the clubs hoping to sign Gasol this summer.
"Pau has helped me reflect on the possibility of going to the NBA, although this decision I could only make," Marc Gasol said.
The number of Spanish to have played in the NBA will now grow to nine, with fellow Spain international Rudy Fernandez having announced recently that he was crossing the Atlantic to play for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Do you guys think Memphis could trade him? Did he make the right choice going to the NBA this year?
Plenty of pics.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Probably made the right choice IMO but I think his brother made a huge influence on him to move to the NBA... This is just part of the Europeanization (maybe Globalization) of the NBAOriginally Posted by rikhardur
...
I think the Grizzlies would do a pretty stupid move if they traded him. I don't think they would make the same mistake twice. Marc still has a lot to learn, might not play many minutes, but the Grizzlies should keep him and look ahead with him.
As for the other question, I think he should have stayed in Europe at least one more year. This was definitely his breakout season, so another year with many minutes to play and consolidate his game was needed. I don't think the Grizzlies will offer him many minutes, at least in the beginning. Marc hurried too much imo.
Curious thing, Marc and Pau will become the first and only foreign brothers to play in the NBA.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
I am sad that he left europe. I would have loved to see him play in Barca with Navarro.
Memphis badly needs big men on their team. Darko Milicic is their starting center, other than that they have Jason Collins. They just aquired Antione Walker in a trade but he's more of a small forward and he's probably going to be cut anyways. They also just drafted Darrell Arthur, but he has more of the size to play PF. Gasol will definetely have the oppurtunity to play in Memphis. I just don't know if his style really fits with the NBA...he's not nearly as quick or athletic as his brother. We'll see how he works out.
Too bad he left... while nowadays it's more and more likely he'll live through his rookie contract and than came back to europe.
Is it official that he's going to Memphis?
"I really like the attitudes of eagles. They never give up. When they grab a fish or something else, they never let it go. It doesn't matter. In a book, they write they find a skeleton of [an] eagle and there is no fish. It means that the fish beat him and killed him, but he didn't let go." -- Donatas Motiejunas
Yep, he confirmed it last week
I KISS BASKET
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...sol/index.htmlGrizzlies agree to three-year, $10m contract with Pau Gasol's brother
The Grizzlies made a bold trade on draft night to acquire O.J. Mayo. Now they might have added another "lottery" pick.
Marc Gasol, the younger brother of Lakers center Pau Gasol, has agreed to a three-year deal worth $10 million, according to a league source. The contract has yet to be signed, but was said to be near completion.
Gasol, 23, is considered one of the top players in Europe. Last year the 7-foot-1 center was named MVP of the Spanish League after averaging 16.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for Akasvayu Girona. He could join with 7-foot Darko Milicic to give the Grizzlies one of the taller frontcourts in the NBA.
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace was not available to comment. But earlier this month he said Gasol would have been a lottery pick in the '08 draft.
"He was drafted 48th by the Lakers last year, but if he was in the draft this season he'd be deep in the lottery," Wallace said. "He's one of the elite players in Europe."
Gasol joins Mayo, the talented combo guard out of USC who was drafted No. 3 overall by the T'wolves in last Thursday's draft and then acquired in a subsequent trade for the No. 5 pick (Kevin Love) and Mike Miller, in giving Memphis two new faces for their rebuilding effort.
He also gives the Grizzlies another tangible piece to show for last February's controversial trade that sent Pau from Memphis to L.A. in exchange for Kwame Brown's expiring contract, two first-round picks and the rights to Marc Gasol and rookie point guard Javaris Crittenton.
Wallace was widely criticized for the seeming giveaway during the season, but thanks to Brown's expiring deal the Grizzlies had some $12 million under the salary cap. They were able to use some of it to sign Marc Gasol. With some $9 million still left over, Memphis could get another quality player on the free agent market or make a trade that takes back more salary in return (as the Bobcats did last summer in trading for Jason Richardson).
Gasol, who turned down more lucrative offers in Europe to come to the NBA, should feel at home in Memphis. He attended high school in the area while his brother Pau played for the Grizzlies.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Gasol seems to be off to a good start:
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...l-his-own-man/
"He's not your typical rookie," teammate Hakim Warrick said. "He's ready, and he's definitely going to show the fans that he's ready right now.""There's not one thing you can say he's exceptional at. He's got an all-around game," Griz coach Marc Iavaroni said. "He's got a good basketball IQ. You can tell he knows what he's doing out there. He understands spacing. He understands how to move without the basketball. Those are important things because there's only one basketball, and you have to play within a system."Also, funny Kevin O'Neill stories:"Whereas Pau is a guy who would rather play out on the perimeter, Marc doesn't mind banging with guys," swingman Rudy Gay said. "He's doesn't mind confrontation down there (in the paint). That's kind of refreshing. He wants to be his own player, and he's working toward that. He's definitely asserting himself."
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...-5-2008-coach/
O'Neill reserved most of his vitriol for his players, in private and in public. One practice, point guard Alico Dunk struggled with the press break. O'Neill grew so annoyed with Dunk that he left the court, took a seat in the stands and, for the next 15 minutes, booed him.
Then there was the game at Arkansas when O'Neill sent reserve Jason Moore onto the floor. Moore made a handful of mistakes, and Tennessee's lead evaporated. O'Neill screamed at Moore: You better hope you DIE before halftime!
"You could see on the boy's face, he was terrified," Johnson said. "So we get to halftime, and we're all looking at each other like, 'Oh, (bleep). Somebody's about to get (bleeped) up.' And he just went off on that boy the whole halftime. He swore he would never recruit another white boy after that. It was kind of funny to me."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wiz...busts_out.html
Tonight, McGee helped the Wiz even their preseason record at 1-1 by coming off the bench to score 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting with eight rebounds and three blocks. He outplayed Grizzlies rookie center Marc Gasol (the younger brother of Pau) who you may remember, was not a bad player on that Spanish National team in the Olympics.
Rudy Gay on Gasol: "He's as strong as three men".
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...rade-throw-in/
Actually that's precisely the impression I get when I see him play with that long hair. He sometimes seems like a ferocious caveman
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
If he only was blond we would have called him HemanActually that's precisely the impression I get when I see him play with that long hair. He sometimes seems like a ferocious caveman
Maybe they are relatives??
I KISS BASKET
Gasol and the infamous "Caveman" of the Rugby World?... maybe... no offense... Chabal is widely called the Caveman during the Rugby World Cup last yearMaybe they are relatives??
First game for Marc in the NBA and a double-double: 12 pts + 12 rebs + 2 blocks + 1 assist in 36 minutes.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
Once again he looks like he is better than Rudy. Rudy gets all the hype, but Marc is the one that is more valuable, just like last year.
Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
Artificial Nature
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