Pau Gasol returns to Spain to play for Barcelona, with the team announcing that his deal will run through June 30.
The 40-year-old began his professional basketball career with Barcelona in 1998-99, spent three Liga ACB seasons with the club and played with the team in the Euroleague’s inaugural season (2000-01) before making the leap . to the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2001-2002 season. He was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in his first season with Memphis.
“I am happy to return to the club where I started, and I am excited about this new opportunity: I hope to contribute to the first team very soon. I want to thank Barça and its technical staff for making it possible to join them, ‘Gasol said in a statement.
Very happy to come home again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Go to Barcelona! pic.twitter.com/6CewIY2Bil– Pau Gasol (@paugasol) February 23, 2021
Barcelona’s coach, Sarunas Jasikevicius, was Gasol’s teammate during the 2000-01 season when Barcelona won titles in the Copa del Rey de Baloncesto and the Liga ACB. Gasol was MVP of both finals.
On Saturday, Gasol had denied Spanish media reports that he had reached a deal with Barcelona, writing on Twitter that he “remained focused on my recovery and that I am not ready to compete again”.
Gasol has been trying to regain fitness to be ready for his fifth Olympics. He said last year that he had to play this season to give himself a chance to come to Tokyo. He is a three-time Olympic medalist with Spain.
Gasol, a six-time NBA All-Star, won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers after being traded to Los Angeles from Memphis in 2008. He has also played for the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks and has career averages of 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds.
He last played in the NBA in 2018/19, finishing the season with Milwaukee.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.