MADRID, 7 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Memphis Grizzlies have retired this morning the jersey with the number 33 of the former Spanish center Marc Gasol, who lived one of his most exciting nights at the FedEx Forum, the pavilion where he played for more than a decade in the NBA (2008-2019), and thus follows in the footsteps of his brother Pau, whose ’16’ was retired by the Los Angeles Lakers last year.
Almost a year after his professional retirement and three years after his last match in the North American league, the one from Sant Boi saw his ’33’ rise to the top of the pavilion to stay next to his former teammate’s ’50’ Zach Randolph, until now the only franchise player to hold such an honor.
The former power forward did not miss the tribute to the Catalan, nor did his former teammates Tony Allen and Mike Conley, with whom he formed the memorable ‘Core Four’, which led the Grizzlies to the Western Conference final in 2013, the year in which the one in which Marc Gasol was chosen as the best defender in the NBA.
Nor were his parents missing, Agustí and Marisa, nor his wife, nor his children, nor his brothers, Adrià and Pau, who also played for the Tennessee franchise (2001-2008) and who has retired his ’16’ in the Los Angeles Lakers. . “It means a lot to see my brother receive this honor for the legacy he left in Memphis, I am very proud of him. From day one he made a difference,” said Pau.
And the Gasol midfielder became the Grizzlies’ all-time leader in minutes played (25,917), games started (762), field goals scored (4,341), free throws scored (2,701), defensive rebounds (4,624), total rebounds (5,952) and blocks (1,135) and ranks second in franchise history in games played (769), points (11,684), assists (2,639), offensive rebounds (1,318), ‘double-doubles’ ( 194) and triple-doubles (5) and third in steals (708).
“Everyone in the city will stay with us forever, that means a lot. We arrived here in 2001, and your constant support and love have been infinite,” Marc highlighted in his speech. “I have to apologize to my teammates, to my coaches, sometimes I know I can be a pain in the ass,” he joked.
In addition, he had a special memory for his ‘Core Four’ teammates Randolph, Allen and Conley. “When I was able to achieve the biggest goal as a basketball player, which is to win the NBA ring, those three guys were right there with me on the court,” he said of the title won with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
The party could not be complete this morning at the FedEx Forum, since later some Grizzlies plagued by casualties, among them that of Spanish power forward Santi Aldama, fell to the Philadelphia 76ers (96-116).