By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Pau Gasol described a potential return to Spain and Barcelona as something that holds a “certain an appeal” to him while also emphasizing that he aims to go back to the NBA.
“Yeah. It had an appeal. An interest,” Gasol said on Zach Lowe’s “The Lowe” Podcast when asked if he’s interested in closing his career with a year in Spain. Gasol played with Barcelona from 1998 to 2001, before signing with the Memphis Grizzlies to begin his NBA run. “And I’ve said it since I left Spain and Barcelona to come to the NBA. But I’ve always kind of said that the longer I play in the NBA, which I love, is going to be harder for me to go back for me to play one year in Spain. Marc [Gasol] had said this I think recently. That he’d love to play his last year in Girona, where he played before he came to the NBA. It means so much to him. Just like Barcelona means to me. But we’ll see. Maybe it works out, maybe it’s in the books, maybe it’s not. Again: It has a certain appeal. But I’ll still like to play in the best league with the best players.”
Gasol is rehabilitating his foot following a surgery he underwent in May 2019 with the goal of returning to action and also represent Spain in the Olympic Games.
“I’m going to try,” Gasol said in regards to also the Olympics being postponed one year due to the coronavirus pandemic. “But first of all, I’m going to focus on what I can control. Which is my rehab. And kind of follow that process and get healthy. Get that foot strong. And then find out whether I can or I won’t. That’ll be the process. Right now, everything is up in the air. It’s hard to access any medical facility now to get any type of test done. So all of that is postponed and delayed. I’m just going to kind of take it one day at a time like everyone else. Do what I can. Stay positive, stay strong. Stick to my routines and be ready for when I’m able to go out there and find out.