This is rare enough to underline it. An NBA franchise, in this case Memphis, has decided to pull out all the stops to honor one of its legends, in this case Marc Gasolthrough a long-format documentary.
Ahead of the retirement ceremony for his No. 33 jersey scheduled for this Saturday, the Grizzlies have produced a very nice documentary retracing the entire career of the Iberian pivot, who arrived in Memphis at the age of 16 at the Lausanne high school, a small establishment close to what he had known in Spain, until his title with the Raptors in 2019.
With interviews with many of his teammates, including Tony Allen, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley, the documentary looks in detail at Marc Gasol's eleven years with the Grizzlies, obviously focusing on the exploits of “Grit & Grind” in the playoffs, notably in 2011 with their “upset” of the Spurs, but also, their “run” from 2013 to the conference final.
But also on his humanitarian work with the children of St Jude hospital in Memphis (where his doctor father also worked) and, more recently, with the migrants launched to attack the Mediterranean, on the coasts of Libya to save Lives.
Emerging from the shadow of Pau
Among the most interesting passages of the film, Gasol evokes his adolescence divided between a move to Memphis and a return to the Barcelona fold, to emerge from the shadow of his brother, Pau, who became an NBA star with the Grizzlies from his beginnings for so say.
The transition was not easy for the whole family. But even more so for young Marc who barely enjoyed his first years in Memphis, feeling bad about himself and gaining weight until he was nicknamed “The Big Burrito”…
Back at Barça, the young Gasol knows that he must above all find a physical condition worthy of the name before being able to claim a professional career. But, from the age of 18, Gasol had the feeling that he had to go through the ACB box before being able to aim higher. And it didn't take long for Svetislav Pesic, who sensed the talent beneath the kilos of superfluous mass, to offer him the opportunity to come and train with the first team.
“At the time, I didn't think I was going to play in the NBA. I knew an NBA team had my rights but I didn't really consider myself in the trade [de 2008 impliquant son frère, entre les Lakers et les Grizzlies]. I know Chris Wallace said I was an important reason to make this trade. I like him, but he couldn't have known! »
Rewriting history a posteriori by explaining that he had indeed sensed the right move, the GM at the time also remembers that the negotiations were not easy due to the fact that this exchange concerned two players from the same family.
“Signing him wasn’t easy. I met the family right after the exchange. They weren't happy with me because I sent their son to Los Angeles, and they were all in Memphis. »
Return to Tennessee
Having passed through Girona to take on an extra dimension, to the point of winning the MVP trophy in 2008 with stellar stats (16 points, 8 rebounds), Gasol was ready to cross the Atlantic. And find Tennessee in an ideal situation for its arrival in the Big World.
“Chris came to Girona for a week. We started to get to know each other and discuss his project for me. The timing in relation to the franchise was important for me too. We had Kyle Lowry, Rudy [Gay]. There was Mike Conley too. It was a rebuilding franchise where a young guy like me could fit into the current project. It was the best situation for me to enter the NBA. I talked to Cristina about it [sa femme, ndlr] and I told myself that there was no better scenario. It's in a city that I already know, where I already have local knowledge. In a franchise already linked to my family. My parents already lived in Memphis. Everything was in place. »
But, behind the scenes, the leaders of the Grizzlies had done what was necessary to ensure that this “gamble” would pay off whatever happened…
“I remember that phone call”remembers Pau Gasol. “I was in LA and I talked to Mike [Michael Heisley, le président de la franchise à l’époque]. He wanted to know if Marc was worth a $3 million a season contract at the time I believe. Is he really good? Besides, is he even ready to play in the NBA? I told him yes, absolutely. You will not regret it. You get a big player back. »
Known not only by his brother, but also by Kobe Bryant, who notably crossed paths with him at the 2012 Olympics, Gasol did not miss his first campaign in the NBA, elected in the best five rookies, with 12 points and 7 rebounds of average. Collectively, it was a different lemonade…
“Winning matches has always been the most important thing. So the first few months were horrible. So much so that I even wondered if I had made the right choice to come to the NBA. Is this really for me? Accepting defeat was not easy. Until Lionel [Hollins] arrived. He reminded me of my coach in Spain [Pesic]. In their approach, their seriousness, the high expectations they have for their players. It was familiar to me. I might not have done more than one season if Lionel hadn't arrived. »
Highlighting the importance of the arrival of Lionel Hollins as head coach in January 2009 (to replace Johnny Davis, who had replaced Marc Iavaroni), the documentary also details how the Grizzlies refused to draft Curry, who was too skinny to play in the NBA according to Heisley…
Instead, Gasol “did what he had to do to keep his job” starting position, facing rookie Hasheem Thabeet. During training camp (with Allen Iverson, by the way), Gasol clinically dismantled his young teammate, leaving no doubt about the hierarchy at position 5.
The era of “Grit & Grind”
Elected All-Star for the first time in 2012, after creating a sensation during the previous playoffs by defeating the Spurs, number 1 in the regular season, Gasol subsequently continued to progress until winning the title of best defender in the year, as a symbol of the “Grit & Grind” era established around him, Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Mike Conley.
It was in the spring of 2013 that “Grit & Grind” became legendary, captivating the entire city of Memphis, after two victories against two higher ranked teams, against the Clippers in the first round, and this, after was down 0-2 in the series. Then the OKC of Durant and Westbrook to go to the conference final against the Spurs (who gave them a clean sweep)…
What seemed to mark the birth of a group destined for great things will ultimately prove to be the peak of their adventure. Because, behind the change of coach (from Hollins to Dave Joerger), the Grizzlies will never again be able to regain their dynamic, the fault of several serious injuries, to Gasol in particular (cruciate ligaments of the left knee in November 2013).
All Star again in 2015, starting against his brother Pau (then in Chicago), a first in the history of the League, Marc Gasol will understand that the train has definitely moved to Memphis after the disappointment of the defeat in the second round of 2015 playoffs against Golden State, with the Grizz very weak after Conley's facial injury, and Allen injured in the hamstrings…
Marc Gasol leaves the den
The arrival of David Fizdale will not help Gasol's affairs, who will also suffer a new injury against Portland the following season (a foot injury that he had already experienced in Barcelona at the start of his career). Very unhappy with the fact that his racket partner, Zach Randolph, was placed on the bench by Fizdale, Gasol and the Grizz will experience one last stand in 2017, against the Spurs in the playoffs but lost in six rounds in the first round…
Last major stop in his career: Toronto. Gasol joins a group already formed, including Kyle Lowry whom he had worked with in his early days in Memphis. He imposes himself as the last piece of the puzzle while Kawhi Leonard acts as a savior for one of the most improbable titles in the history of the League, facing the ultra-dominant Warriors over the season, but ultra-poisonous in the playoffs in 2019.
With his extensive track record in the NBA, but also on the FIBA scene within the golden generation of La Roja, Marc Gasol has the ideal profile to end up in the Hall of Fame, like his brother Pau…
| Marc Gasol | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2008-09 | SAME | 82 | 31 | 53.0 | 0.0 | 73.3 | 2.5 | 4.9 | 7.4 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 11.9 |
| 2009-10 | SAME | 69 | 36 | 58.1 | 0.0 | 67.0 | 3.0 | 6.3 | 9.3 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 14.6 |
| 2010-11 | SAME | 81 | 32 | 52.7 | 42.9 | 74.8 | 1.9 | 5.1 | 7.0 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 11.7 |
| 2011-12 | SAME | 65 | 37 | 48.2 | 8.3 | 74.8 | 1.9 | 7.1 | 8.9 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 14.7 |
| 2012-13 | SAME | 80 | 35 | 49.4 | 7.1 | 84.8 | 2.3 | 5.5 | 7.8 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 14.1 |
| 2013-14 | SAME | 59 | 33 | 47.3 | 18.2 | 76.8 | 1.4 | 5.8 | 7.2 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 14.6 |
| 2014-15 | SAME | 81 | 33 | 49.4 | 17.6 | 79.5 | 1.4 | 6.4 | 7.8 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 17.4 |
| 2015-16 | SAME | 52 | 34 | 46.4 | 66.7 | 82.9 | 1.1 | 5.9 | 7.0 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 16.6 |
| 2016-17 | SAME | 74 | 34 | 45.9 | 38.8 | 83.7 | 0.8 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 4.6 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 19.5 |
| 2017-18 | SAME | 73 | 33 | 42.0 | 34.1 | 83.4 | 1.1 | 7.0 | 8.1 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 17.2 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 79 | 31 | 44.8 | 36.3 | 75.9 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 7.9 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 13.6 |
| 2018-19 * | SAME | 53 | 34 | 44.4 | 34.4 | 75.6 | 1.1 | 7.5 | 8.6 | 4.7 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 15.7 |
| 2018-19 * | TOR | 26 | 25 | 46.5 | 44.2 | 76.9 | 0.9 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 9.1 |
| 2019-20 | TOR | 44 | 26 | 42.7 | 38.5 | 73.5 | 0.7 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 7.5 |
| 2020-21 | LAL | 52 | 19 | 45.4 | 41.0 | 72.0 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 5.0 |
| Total | 891 | 32 | 48.1 | 36.0 | 77.6 | 1.6 | 5.8 | 7.4 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 14.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
