Former NBA center Marc Gasol retires at age 39

Marc Gasol (Google Images)

According to Field Level Media on Wednesday, former National Basketball Association center Marc Gasol of Barcelona, Spain has retired at the age of 39. Gasol spent 14 seasons in the NBA. He was with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2008 to 2019, the Toronto Raptors from 2019 to 2020, and the Los Angeles Lakers from 2020 to 2021.

In 891 career regular season games, Gasol averaged 14 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, 3.4 assists per game, and 1.4 blocks per game. He had a field goal percentage of .481, three-point percentage of .360 and a free throw percentage of .776.

Thrice Gasol was a NBA All-Star while with the Grizzlies. He was honoured in 2011-12, 2014-15, and 2016-17. In 2011-12, Gasol averaged 14.6 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game, 3.1 assists per game, 1.9 blocks per game, and one steal per game, with a field goal percentage of .482, free throw percentage of .748, and three point percentage of .083. In 2014-15, he averaged 17.4 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, 3.8 assists per game, and 1.6 blocks per game, with a field goal percentage of .494, three-point percentage of .176 and a free throw percentage of .795. Then in 2016-17, Gasol averaged a career-high 19.5 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game, and 1.3 blocks per game, along with a field goal percentage of .459, free throw percentage of .837, and three point percentage of .388.

Gasol also won the NBA Finals with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. He also won the 2013 NBA Defensive Player of the Year with the Grizzlies (5.5 defensive rebounds per game, one steal per game, and 1.7 blocks per game). Marc Gasol, was also the younger brother of former Lakers star Pau Gasol.