For 90 days get to know more about the international faces of the NBA. Day 35 brings…
Marc Gasol (C, Memphis Grizzlies), Spain
Height: 2.16m, 7-foot-1| Weight: 120.2kg, 265 pounds | Born: 29 January, 1985
Marc Gasol stands at the heart of grit and grind. For six years now, he's fueled the Grizzlies by producing consistently at both ends of the floor.
In 2013-14, despite an early season knee injury, Gasol, then the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 14.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists. In April, with a playoff position on the line, Gasol turned it up another notch and averaged 18 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 54.1 percent shooting to lead the Grizzlies to their fourth straight postseason appearance.
Although Memphis fell to in the first round of the Playoffs, they didn't go easy, thanks in large part to Big Spain. During the series, Gasol averaged 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 43 minutes, forcing the first four games into overtime and the series itself to a Game 7 showdown.
Marc Gasol once lived in the shadow of his older brother, but with his versatile skillset and contributions in the Grind Era, he's proven to be an all-around contender in his own right. This upcoming 2014-15 season, he'll be back in Memphis ready to rock-and-roll.
Key Stats
2013-14: GP: 59 | MP: 33.4 | PTS: 14.6 | REB: 7.2 | AST: 3.6 | STL 1.0 | BLK: 1.3 | FG%: 47.3%
Season Highlight
During the regular season, Gasol posted ten double-doubles, bringing his career total to 111.
Achievements/Awards
*NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2013)
*All-NBA Second Team (2013)
*NBA-All Defensive Second Team
*NBA All-Star (2012)
*3 FIBA gold medals (2006, 2009, 2011)
Five Things To Know
1. In 2008, the Lakers traded Gasol to the Grizzlies in exchange for his brother Pau, becoming the first and only time an NBA player was traded for his brother. (per Grizzlies.com)
2. During his first year with Memphis, Gasol broke the franchise rookie record with a 53% field goal percentage. His brother, Pau, held the previous record with 51% (Grizzlies.com)
3. He became the first European to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 (Grizzlies.com)
4. He once quoted a line from Pulp Fiction in a postgame interview. He said, "I'm a big Quentin Tarantino fan. There's this line [in 'Pulp Fiction'] from Wolf — which I can't say in front of you guys — when they [finish] cleaning the car up. He says, 'Let's not do that yet." (Deadspin.com)
5. His nicknames include: "The Big Burrito," "Big Spain," "The Wendigo," "El Oso Loco" (The Crazy Bear) (per Grizzlybearblues.com) and "Tanketa" (The Tank). (per Grantland.com)
Check out Gasol's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
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