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What made you want to get involved and become a St. Jude Ambassador? Marc Gasol: That’s easy. The kids. To be able to walk through those doors, be able to spend time with them and play with them is one of the best parts of my life. I think I’m very lucky to live here in Memphis where I can get to St. Jude often. It’s a place where you maybe think at first that you’re going to cheer them up by playing with them. But what I find is that they play with me and it makes me happy. One day we might read a book or do drawings. Another day it’s making cupcakes with different toppings. We even have tea parties and, yeah, I get right down there at the those little tables. Sometimes I get to hear the older kids tell their stories. All the time I spend with them is very special. NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

Do you have favorite memories of your St. Jude experiences? Marc Gasol: I have a lot of memories. I been here living in Memphis now five years. Sadly, some of those memories are of kids who are not here anymore, times when there are not happy endings. But I’ve had those relationships with them and the relationships and experiences will never go away. I’ve had so many experiences of watching kids get better. A lot of them are basketball fans and they love to watch our games and give us their opinions on how we do. We played in Brooklyn the other night and won and a lot of them watched on TV. We had a halftime segment with Coach Hollins that we did at St. Jude. They loved that. They loved seeing themselves. It’s just great to see them so excited, so happy. NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

"I think you could say I took a step back in my development," Gasol says of his move from Barcelona to Tennessee. "In Barcelona, I was with the best players in the country, so some of them were close to my size. Here, I was taller than everyone, so I could score whenever I wanted. The competition wasn't the same. I wasn't practicing as much; I was gaining weight." Grantland

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

But when Memphis coach Lionel Hollins opted to send starting center Marc Gasol back into the game with the Grizzlies holding a 20-point lead with less than four minutes left, Evans couldn’t take it any more. He rose up off the bench and yelled over to Gasol several times while Gasol stood at the scorer’s table waiting to check in. “That was the point where I was like, ‘Wow’ ... I was real shocked to see him come back in,” Evans said. “I guess it is what it is.” New York Post

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol, Lionel Hollins 

Marc Gasol: We played like a TEAM, and the fans were great! What a great combination. Let's build on it and take steps forward. #OnToTheNextOne #GNG Twitter @MarcGasol

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

Peter Edmiston: Marc Gasol on the famous Pera dinner: "Yeah, they invited us. Really, I don't see the big deal. I'm sure they'll meet w/ other guys soon." Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

Peter Edmiston: Marc said the dinner just consisted of them talking hoops; said there was no specific requests made about the team, just casual talk. Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

Sources close to the Grizzlies have been adamant that they are not having a fire sale and core guys like Zach Randolph, Gay and Marc Gasol are not being considered in deals unless it makes the team better. HoopsWorld

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol 

In order to avoid even steeper tax rates for repeat offenders beginning in 2014-15, the Grizzlies have to begin planning now for how they're going to restock the roster once their total obligation of nearly $52 million to Gay, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph falls off their books following that season. If they wait that long to move one of their Big Three for a package of young players and/or picks, it may be too late. CBSSports.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol 

If the same players and picks will be available around draft time or after July 1, one school of thought is that Memphis will wait until then. In the meantime, there would be little harm in taking their shot with a team that has at least a puncher's chance against the elite in the West in a year when everyone in that conference is enjoying the rarity of the Lakers and Mavericks being non-factors at the same time. It wasn't so long ago when the Grizzlies had the best record in the league, and it would be foolish to break up a team that has a chance to make a run in order to solve a tax problem that could be just as easily fixed in June or July. CBSSports.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol 

Steve Kyler: RT @peylayous: Gasol, MWP, Jamison for Randolph and Gay ? ---> I seriously doubt Memphis is breaking up that team. Twitter @stevekylerNBA

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

Cleveland went 4 for 20 from the field in the fourth and scored just two points during that span. "That's pretty much what you call the grit and the grind when you pull out a win like that," Allen said after collecting three steals. "We just clawed and clawed." Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph each tossed in 19 points to lead the Griz, who improved their NBA-best record to 10-2. The Griz outscored the Cavs 22-9 in the fourth quarter. The better-late-than-never defensive effort proved paramount on a night when the Grizzlies' offense suffered without starting point guard Mike Conley. A bout with the flu caused Conley to miss the game. "This was just a good team effort," coach Lionel Hollins said. "We had a lot of adversity, but we showed a lot of pride." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Lionel Hollins 

OK, maybe. But things were not well in Memphis with Pau Gasol. Sure, the Grizzlies made the playoffs three straight seasons (2003-06) -- but they hadn’t won a single stinking postseason game. Wallace, realizing perhaps his team had hit its ceiling, felt something must be done. “A couple of trends were occurring,” Wallace said. “When an expansion team gets off the ground (the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001), everyone’s behind you because you’re new. But after a few years, that wears off. That happened, and after 12 straight playoff losses …” FOXSportsOhio

Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, Pau Gasol, Chris Wallace, Marc Gasol 

Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap delivered high praise for Marc Gasol as the league’s best passing big man. Dunlap compared Gasol to former Portland Trail Blazers great Arvydas Sabonis. “He holds that ball like it’s an olive and he can send that ball anywhere he wants,” Dunlap said. Gasol had seven assists and is averaging 4.6 per game. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Charlotte Bobcats, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Marc Gasol, Arvydas Sabonis, Mike Dunlap 

Jonah Ballow: Last night in the #Knicks locker room, @Carmelo Anthony made it quite clear he wants another shot at the Grizz & Gasol, specifically. Twitter @jonahballow

Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Marc Gasol 

Steve Luhm: Utah's Randy Foye on Marc Gasol's flagrant foul with three seconds left in Memphis' win last night: "... He's not a dirty player." Twitter @sluhm

Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Randy Foye, Marc Gasol 

Marc Gasol: Welcome to Robert Pera to our family and the city of Memphis. Blue collar team in a blue collar city! #OneTeamOneGoal Twitter @MarcGasol

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol, Robert Pera 

Gasol then traveled to Spain where he trained with his national team for the London Olympics. Gasol missed some time early because of a shoulder injury in early July. But he was there when Spain challenged the USA for gold. There was no quit in Gasol when he returned to the Grizzlies for training camp. He didn't take time off and competed hard in ever drill and most of the exhibition games. He couldn't look sharper now that the season has begun. "I just love to play basketball," Gasol said. "I don't know how long I'm going to be able to do it so I don't think about how much I've played. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

Marc Gasol: "I see myself playing in Memphis a lot of years." Marca.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol 

Ibaka recently signed a four-year, $65-million extension with Oklahoma City, but it remains unclear whether that would soften his frustration with the Spanish national team. Still, Gasol hopes Ibaka’s realizes his role may expand in 2016 for a simple reason. “I’m not going to play forever,” Gasol said. “Marc is not going to play forever.” Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Pau Gasol, Spain, Marc Gasol, Olympics, Serge Ibaka