It’s been a long and winding road for Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol. From being a vital cog on the youth team in Spain to winning the NBA championship alongside out-of-this-world superstar Kobe Bryant, Gasol has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to be one of the basketball players in the world. world elite. But like most of the current roster of superstars, he wasn’t an overnight success.

He spent a considerable amount of time dominating the Spanish basketball league before being picked third overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2001 NBA Draft. His draft rights were then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he eventually flaunted of his overall skills that resulted in claiming Rookie of the Year honors. He spent 7 seasons with the Grizzlies, racking up a franchise-record 12 along the way and even earning an All-Star appearance in 2006, but yearned for the opportunity to play at the highest stage possible, the NBA Finals.

His wish came true in 2008 when he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, a strong contender. And he wasted no time proving himself when he teamed up with Bryant to lead the Lakers to an NBA Finals appearance, even though he lost to the powerhouse Boston Celtics in 6 games. He eventually returned to the big show the following year and was instrumental in eliminating the Orlando Magic in 5 games en route to winning an NBA championship ring. And in addition to these NBA accomplishments, Gasol has also played extensively for the Spanish flag as a member of the national team since 2001, winning a gold medal at the 2006 FIBA ​​World Championship in Japan and a silver medal at the Olympics. Beijing Summer 2008.

Considering he’s only 29 years old, Pau Gasol can still hope to make Spain proud for several years to come, with perhaps a series of NBA championships and a pair of basketball gold medals along the way.