Ask any Catalan to name the greatest athlete the country has produced, and Pau Gasol will come up within seconds. The 2.13-metre pivot from Sant Boi de Llobregat won two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, played in five Olympic Games, had his number 16 jersey retired by the Lakers and entered the Basketball Hall of Fame — a career without parallel in Spanish sport, and one that began in the schoolyards just outside Barcelona.
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Who is Pau Gasol?
Pau Gasol Sáez was born on 6 July 1980 in Sant Boi de Llobregat, in the Barcelona metropolitan area. He grew up in a family of doctors — medicine was his first career plan — and stood out early for his height, his coordination and, above all, his brain for the game. He came up through FC Barcelona's youth system and debuted in the top Spanish league as a teenager, winning league titles with Barça before crossing the Atlantic.
The NBA years: Memphis, the Lakers and two rings
The Atlanta Hawks drafted him third overall in 2001 and immediately traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he became the franchise's first star and its first playoff hero. In February 2008 came the trade that changed everything: to the Los Angeles Lakers, to partner Kobe Bryant.
It worked from day one. The Lakers reached three straight NBA Finals and won championships in 2009 and 2010, with Gasol as the perfect second option: skilled, unselfish, tireless. He finished his 18-season NBA career with stints at the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks, six All-Star selections and career averages of 17 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
The honors keep coming
Few European players have ever been celebrated like this in the NBA: on 7 March 2023 the Lakers retired his number 16 jersey, hanging it in the rafters next to legends like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. That same year he entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2025 the FIBA Hall of Fame followed.
Spain's golden generation
With the national team, Gasol led what Spaniards call the Golden Generation: a world title in 2006, Olympic silvers in 2008 and 2012, and European championships — often playing alongside his younger brother Marc Gasol, himself an NBA champion with Toronto. Pau played in five Olympic Games (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and Tokyo 2020), an all-time record of consistency, and was the flag bearer for Spain at the London 2012 opening ceremony. In 2021, before one last Olympics, he even returned for a farewell run with FC Barcelona, the club where it had all started.
Watching basketball in Catalonia today
Gasol's legacy is visible in every arena. Basketball is Catalonia's second sport and the local league (ACB) is one of the best in Europe: you can watch FC Barcelona at the Palau Blaugrana, Joventut Badalona — the club from Pau's home region — at the Pavelló Olímpic, and dozen of town clubs that feed talent to the top. A ticket costs a fraction of an NBA game, and the atmosphere is family-friendly and loud.
Pau Gasol — FAQ
How old is Pau Gasol?
He was born on 6 July 1980, which makes him in his mid-forties. Height: 2.13 metres (7 feet).
Did Pau Gasol win NBA championships?
Yes, two — 2009 and 2010 with the Los Angeles Lakers, alongside Kobe Bryant. The Lakers retired his number 16 jersey in 2023.
Where is Pau Gasol from?
From Sant Boi de Llobregat, a city in the Barcelona area of Catalonia, Spain. He developed as a player at FC Barcelona before joining the NBA.
Yes, they are brothers — and both NBA champions and both Olympic medallists, one of the great family stories in basketball.
What is Pau Gasol doing now?
Since retiring as a player he has stayed close to the game as a FIBA and NBA ambassador, worked on sports and health initiatives, and remains a public figure in Catalonia.
More famous Catalans: Marc Gasol · Rosalía · Montserrat Caballé · Famous People
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