Pau Gasol returns to Spain to play for Barcelona, and the team announces that his contract lasts until June 30.
The 40-year-old big man started his professional basketball career at Barcelona in 1998-99. He spent three ACB seasons at the club and played with the team in the first season of the Euroleague (2000-01). to the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2001-02 season. In his first season with Memphis, he was named the Nookie of the Year.
“I’m happy to return to the club where I started, and I’m excited about this new opportunity: I hope to contribute to the first team soon. I would like to thank Barça and his technical staff for the opportunity to to close them, ‘Gasol said in a statement.
Very happy to be back home. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Force Barça! 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/6CewIY2Bil– Pau Gasol (@paugasol) 23 February 2021
Barcelona coach Sarunas Jasikevicius was Gasol’s teammate during the 2000-01 season when Barcelona won titles in the Copa del Rey de Baloncesto and the ACB League. Gasol was MVP of both finals.
On Saturday, Gasol denied reports in the Spanish media that he had reached an agreement with Barcelona and wrote on Twitter that he was “focused on my recovery and that I am not yet ready to compete again.”
Gasol has tried to get fit again to be ready in his fifth Olympics. He said last year he should play this season to give himself a chance to make it to Tokyo. He is a three-time Olympic medalist along with Spain.
Gasol, a six-time NBA All-Star, won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers after being swapped from Memphis to Los Angeles in 2008. He also played for the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks and has a career average of 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds.
He last played in the NBA in 2018-19 and ended the season with Milwaukee.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.