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Pau Gasol Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: C
Born: 07/06/80
Height: 7-0 / 2.13
Weight:250 lbs. / 113.4 kg.
Salary: $16,800,000
Born: 07/06/80
Height: 7-0 / 2.13
Weight:250 lbs. / 113.4 kg.
Salary: $16,800,000
“One of my favorite ones, Pau hates it every time I tell this story,” Bryant recalls. “He hates it. We lost to the Celtics in ’08 and it was a physical series. I mean they beat the crap out of us. We go into the Olympic year, that year, we wind up playing Spain for the gold-medal match and we beat them. So now we come back to start training camp and Pau shows up first day of training camp, I have my gold medal hanging in his locker.
“The one thing he truly, truly love is his country. That is like everything to him. So it just drove him crazy. He said ‘You’re an ass—!’ I said, ‘Listen Pau, you lost to the Celtics, you lost to us in the gold-medal match, let’s not make this three in a row this year. Let’s win this thing.’ That was it for him. “Pau was a phenomenon to begin with. For him, it was just stepping up a level of physicality, that we needed him to get to, which he did and we went on to win back-to-back championships.”
Pau Gasol not retiring anytime soon
Pau Gasol: “I’m not thinking about retirement yet, although I know that it will happen sooner than later.”
Pau Gasol: “Manu is a magnificent player, exceptional, with an incredible career, which has marked an era, not only in Argentina but in the world basketball. “I have a special affection for him. He is worthy of admiration, who has given absolutely everything, who has played until age 41, an example to follow and I hope he inspires many young people in Argentina and abroad.
Speaking with Spanish outlet EuroSport, Pau weighed in on the Spurs’ offseason and naysayers, admitting there has been much change in San Antonio but remains confident the team will be surprising many next season. “As far as we can go, as far as possible, I hope we end up with good sensations, surprising and exceeding expectations.”
Gasol: “There will be many changes starting with the absences of Manu (Ginobili ) and Tony (Parker ), after 17 and 16 seasons with the team, that is going to be a major change at the leadership and veteran level. And also Kawhi Leonard who leaves. The team comes with a great player like DeMar DeRozan and new players, the team is going to be younger, it’s going to be an interesting season in which the experts do not count on us to be up but that should be an added incentive.”
