Of the 12 league personalities who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, four of them were at some point in their Spurs careers. Besides Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich, Becky Hammon and Paul Gasol also wrote part of Spurs history.
With six All-star selections, two NBA titles for the Lakers and a career-ending 17 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, Pau Gasol’s name is most often associated with Kobe Bryant, both his arrival in Los Angeles had been successful. But after his time at the Lakers, the former Grizzlies rookie also wore the jersey of the Bulls, Spurs, Bucks and finally the Blazers. Even if Tony Parker admits to having suffered against his eternal rival in the national team, it is nevertheless with him that the aging Spurs wrote one of the most beautiful pages in their history in 2017.
San Antonio, anything but early retirement
We are then in 2016, and Pau Gasol joins the Spurs after two seasons with the Bulls. His role: to replace retired Tim Duncan and support LaMarcus Aldridge in the racket. After the departure of Duncan, the team necessarily begins a transition phase, but the presence of executives Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but also of Kawhi Leonard, allow San Antonio to fly over the season and qualify for the conference finals. . Unfortunately, Kawhi Leonard’s injury in Game 1 of the series against the Warriors will put an end to the title hopes of the Spurs, who had managed to lead by 23 points!
Without a title at the end, this season remains unknown in the history of Spurs, and yet the 36-year-old pivot had marked the spirits of his teammates but also of the staff. “He is a man with a lot of class and a very great teammate” summarized Popovich, when Aldridge recalled the ease of playing alongside Gasol:“He is a very gifted interior, as well as a very good passer. When I’m on the field, I know that I just have to outflank my opponent, because he will manage to find me.
On the Spurs bench this year, and it was a first, a woman: Becky Hammon. As they enter the Hall Of Fame together tomorrow, she remembers the passage of the Spaniard: “He was clearly one of the best, not only on the pitch, but as a man. His approach to the game, his basketball IQ, the way he sees things…”
Compliments sent back to him by Gasol: “There are people who leave their mark in basketball. It makes things even more remarkable and beautiful when you share them with people you know well and appreciate” declared Paul Gasol. “I’ve played with the greatest basketball players of this generation…and I’ve played under two of the smartest coaches in the history of the sport, Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich. I can tell you one thing, Becky Hammon knows how to coach in the NBA. Period.”
Tomorrow, for his entry into the Hall Of Fame, Pau Gasol has chosen a player with whom he has never played: Toni Kukoc. As for Becky Hammon, she will be presented by Sheryl Swoopes and Teresa Weatherspoon.
| Paul Gasol | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2001-02 | SAME | 82 | 37 | 51.8 | 20.0 | 70.9 | 2.9 | 6.0 | 8.9 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 17.6 |
| 2002-03 | SAME | 82 | 36 | 51.0 | 10.0 | 73.6 | 2.3 | 6.4 | 8.8 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 19.0 |
| 2003-04 | SAME | 78 | 32 | 48.2 | 26.7 | 71.4 | 2.6 | 5.1 | 7.7 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 17.7 |
| 2004-05 | SAME | 56 | 32 | 51.4 | 16.7 | 76.8 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 7.3 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 17.8 |
| 2005-06 | SAME | 80 | 39 | 50.3 | 25.0 | 68.9 | 2.4 | 6.5 | 8.9 | 4.6 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 20.4 |
| 2006-07 | SAME | 59 | 36 | 53.8 | 27.3 | 74.8 | 2.5 | 7.3 | 9.9 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 20.8 |
| 2007-08* | All Teams | 66 | 36 | 53.4 | 25.0 | 80.7 | 2.4 | 6.0 | 8.4 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 18.9 |
| 2007-08* | SAME | 39 | 37 | 50.1 | 26.7 | 81.9 | 2.4 | 6.4 | 8.8 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 18.9 |
| 2007-08* | ALL | 27 | 34 | 58.9 | 0.0 | 78.9 | 2.3 | 5.6 | 7.8 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 18.8 |
| 2008-09 | ALL | 81 | 37 | 56.7 | 50.0 | 78.1 | 3.2 | 6.4 | 9.6 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 18.9 |
| 2009-10 | ALL | 65 | 37 | 53.6 | 0.0 | 79.0 | 3.7 | 7.6 | 11.3 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 18.3 |
| 2010-11 | ALL | 82 | 37 | 52.9 | 33.3 | 82.3 | 3.3 | 6.9 | 10.2 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 18.8 |
| 2011-12 | ALL | 65 | 37 | 50.1 | 25.9 | 78.2 | 2.8 | 7.6 | 10.4 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 17.4 |
| 2012-13 | ALL | 49 | 34 | 46.6 | 28.6 | 70.2 | 2.3 | 6.3 | 8.6 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 13.7 |
| 2013-14 | ALL | 60 | 31 | 48.0 | 28.6 | 73.6 | 2.1 | 7.6 | 9.7 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 17.4 |
| 2014-15 | CHI | 78 | 34 | 49.4 | 46.2 | 80.3 | 2.8 | 9.0 | 11.8 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 18.5 |
| 2015-16 | CHI | 72 | 32 | 46.9 | 34.8 | 79.2 | 2.2 | 8.9 | 11.0 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 16.5 |
| 2016-17 | SAN | 64 | 25 | 50.2 | 53.8 | 70.7 | 1.7 | 6.2 | 7.8 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 12.4 |
| 2017-18 | SAN | 77 | 24 | 45.8 | 35.8 | 75.6 | 1.7 | 6.4 | 8.0 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 10.1 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 30 | 12 | 44.7 | 46.2 | 70.0 | 0.7 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 3.9 |
| 2018-19 * | SAN | 27 | 12 | 46.6 | 50.0 | 71.1 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 4.2 |
| 2018-19 * | MIL | 3 | 10 | 16.7 | 33.3 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| Total | 1226 | 33 | 50.7 | 36.8 | 75.3 | 2.5 | 6.7 | 9.2 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 17.0 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
