By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Pau Gasol arrived at Barcelona Wednesday (3/3), his club announced. The former two-time NBA champion officially signed with the team in February to once again wear the Blaugrana jersey after 20 years.
“I’m very happy to be at home and excited to have this opportunity at this time. of my career,” Gasol said for Barcelona’s website.
Gasol, 40, will undergo his medicals Friday (5/3). It’s hasn’t yet been determined when the Spanish great will make his season debut with Barcelona and play his first game since March 2019 and his stint with the Milwaukee Bucks.
In a twitter reaction to the first reports about his deal with Barcelona in February 20, Gasol had mentioned that he’s “not ready yet” to return to competing. Two days later, he announced that he’s returning to the Catalan powerhouse.
“Since I left in 2001, I have always followed the team and the club closely,” Gasol said. “Now even more, since I signed, I pay more attention also to details.”
The plan for Gasol is to get back to practicing and playing on a high level in order to get into the best possible shape for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. If all goes well, Gasol, a three-time Olympic medalist and flag-bearer for Spain in the 2012 Games, will make his fifth straight run in the tournament.
Barcelona is coming off an away win over Panathinaikos Athens and is currently leading the standings in EuroLeague with a 19-8 record.
“We are playing at a great level, it is a great team, first in Europe, second in the ACB, we have options to win both titles and simply with the illusion of complementing what the team already has,” Gasol commented.