It was reported (per Mundo Deportivo) on Feb. 20 that the former Chicago Bulls star power forward Pau Gasol will sign a contract to play professional basketball in his home country of Spain, with FC Barcelona. The former Bull Gasol last played professional basketball with the San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks during the 2018-19 season.
Gasol was contracted with the Portland Trail Blazers last season, but never actually got to play in meaningful game action for head coach Terry Stotts.
As a whole, Gasol is one of the more accomplished big men both of the 2000’s and the 2010’s in the NBA. He was a six-time NBA All-Star selection, four-time All-NBA Team selection, two-time NBA Champion, and the 2001-02 Rookie of the Year award winner. He spent most of his playing days in the NBA with the Spurs (three seasons), Memphis Grizzlies (seven seasons), and the Los Angeles Lakers (seven seasons).
The former Chicago Bulls star’s run in the NBA
Gasol also spent two seasons with the Bulls, as a notable teammate of star point guard Derrick Rose and standout center Joakim Noah. During his two seasons with the Bulls, Gasol started in all 150 regular season games he played in. And he averaged 17.6 points per game, 11.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.4 steals, and 2.0 blocks.
Moreover, Gasol actually started out his run playing professional basketball (and during his developmental years prior to getting drafted into the NBA) in Spain with FC Barcelona. This will be his second stint with the team, more than two decades after it originally began.
His final campaign with FC Barcelona in EuroLeague came back during the 2000-01 season. In that campaign, he averaged 18.5 points per game, 6.0 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks. And Gasol shot 66.7 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 73.8 percent from the free-throw line.
This might be the final stretch of Gasol’s playing days in the world of professional basketball, even overseas in his home country of Spain. The former third overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft of the Atlanta Hawks is now 40 years old and likely winding down the final stretch of his hoops career.