Pau Gasol Siblings: Getting to Know Marc and Adrià

Pau Gasol Sáez, born on July 6, 1980, in Barcelona, Spain, stands as one of the most influential figures in international basketball history.

At 7 feet 1 inch tall, he combined finesse, skill, and athleticism in a way that redefined the power forward and center positions during his two-decade professional career.

Growing up in a family with a strong medical background, his father, Agustí, was a nurse administrator, and his mother, Marisa, a medical doctor, Gasol initially considered a path in medicine but found his calling on the court.

He began playing professionally as a teenager with FC Barcelona, where he honed his versatile game, including post moves, passing, and perimeter shooting.

Drafted third overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2001 NBA Draft and immediately traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies, Gasol became a trailblazer for European players in the NBA.

Over 18 seasons, he amassed career averages of 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, playing for the Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, and Portland Trail Blazers.

Siblings

Pau has two younger brothers, Marc and Adrià.

Marc Gasol, born on January 29, 1985, in Barcelona, emerged as the most prominent sibling, forging a highly successful NBA career that mirrored and complemented Pau’s own achievements.

Marc was drafted 48th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007, but his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a historic deal that sent Pau to the Lakers.

Marc spent the bulk of his 13-year NBA tenure with the Grizzlies, where he evolved into a defensive anchor and skilled passer, earning three All-Star selections, the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year award, and an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

Like Pau, Marc represented Spain internationally, contributing to the same medal-winning teams and helping the duo become the first brothers to both win NBA titles.

Their on-court chemistry extended to the 2015 NBA All-Star Game, where they became the first siblings to start together.

Off the court, the brothers co-founded the Gasol Foundation in 2013, focusing on promoting healthy lifestyles and combating childhood obesity in Spain and beyond.

Adrià Gasol, the youngest brother born in 1992, pursued basketball at a less elite level but still embodied the family’s athletic spirit.

He played college ball as a walk-on for UCLA after attending Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, where the family relocated during Pau’s early Grizzlies years.

Adrià later competed professionally in Switzerland and Spain but did not reach the NBA.

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Career

At just 17, Gasol debuted for FC Barcelona’s senior team in 1998, quickly rising to stardom by winning the Liga ACB and Copa del Rey titles in 2001 and earning Finals MVP honors in both.

His breakout performance attracted NBA attention, leading to his third-overall selection in the 2001 draft.

Traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on draft night, Gasol arrived as a raw but promising 21-year-old.

In his rookie 2001-02 season, he exceeded expectations, averaging 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds while playing all 82 games, earning unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year honors as the first international player to win the award.

Over the next six-plus seasons in Memphis, he matured into a double-double machine, leading the team to its first playoff appearance in 2004 and setting franchise records in points, rebounds, and blocks.

However, persistent team struggles prompted a blockbuster trade on February 1, 2008, sending him to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, future picks, and the draft rights to his brother Marc.

Reunited with his sibling in a twist of fate, Pau thrived alongside Kobe Bryant, forming a dynamic frontcourt duo that powered the Lakers to three straight NBA Finals from 2008 to 2010, securing championships in 2009 and 2010.

His playoff performances stood out, with averages of 18.9 points and 9.3 rebounds across those runs, including a memorable 19-rebound effort in the 2009 Western Conference Finals clincher.

After leaving the Lakers in 2014, Gasol signed with the Chicago Bulls, where he rediscovered All-Star form, averaging 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in the 2014-15 season and becoming the 36th player to reach 10,000 points and 10,000 rebounds.

A two-year stint with the San Antonio Spurs followed in 2016, adding veteran leadership before brief stops with the Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers capped his NBA tenure in 2021.

Internationally, Gasol anchored Spain’s golden era, debuting at the 2001 EuroBasket and leading the team to major triumphs including the 2006 FIBA World Cup, three EuroBasket titles, and multiple Olympic medals.

Accolades

In the NBA, Gasol captured two championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, anchoring their frontcourt during a dominant era.

His six All-Star selections across 2006, 2009-2011, 2015, and 2016 highlighted his sustained impact, including a historic 2015 All-Star Game start alongside brother Marc.

Gasol earned four All-NBA selections, appearing twice on the Third Team in 2009 and 2010 and twice on the Second Team in 2011 and 2015.

He began his NBA journey with a landmark achievement as the 2002 Rookie of the Year, becoming the first European to win the award.

Off the court, his humanitarian commitments earned him the 2012 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award and the 2015 NBPA Global Impact Player Award.

Internationally, Gasol’s accolades include a 2006 FIBA World Cup gold and MVP, three EuroBasket golds, and Olympic medals consisting of silvers in 2008 and 2012 and a bronze in 2016.

He also won two European Player of the Year awards and two Liga ACB Finals MVPs.

Gasol was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023, and his No. 16 jersey was retired by the Lakers the same year.