The Memphis Grizzlies recently retired Marc Gasol's jersey after his efforts for the franchise during his career. He's easily one of the best centers in franchise history and is more than deserving of having his jersey up in the rafters. Despite turning into an NBA villain, former teammate Dillon Brooks sent Gasol a heartfelt message.
Brooks played alongside Gasol for two and a half seasons before the Grizzlies eventually traded Marc Gasol to the Toronto Raptors in the 2018-19 season. Dillon Brooks remembers his playing time with Gasol fondly and decided to send a nice heartfelt message to the legendary big man.
It's nice to see Brooks take off the villain mask for a change. Especially considering he's showing love to a former teammate of his. As for Marc Gasol, he's now etched in Grizzlies history forever. Gasol finished his career averaging 14 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. He played a similar style as his brother Pau Gasol, who is also a legend in his own right.
With that said, Marc Gasol's jersey retirement is the bright spot to the 2023-24 season for the Grizzlies. It's been a season to forget for Memphis as injuries have depleted the roster completely. Luckily, they're in position to get a high draft pick and potentially land a player to help a ton. Also, Ja Morant should be healthy by the beginning of next season, who looked fantastic in the few games he played this year.
The career of Grizzlies legend Marc Gasol
Gasol played nine and a half seasons for the Grizzlies. Those were very much the best years of his career. During that time, Marc Gasol made three All-Star appearances and won a Defensive Player of the Year in the 2012-13 season.
The Grizzlies eventually traded Marc Gasol to the Toronto Raptors where he helped the team win a championship. He played a lesser role in Toronto but the fact he won a ring made it more than worth it. Gasol played his final year in the NBA with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers and called it a career in 2021.
On top of his success in the NBA, Marc Gasol has also won two silver medals in the Olympics, as well as two FIBA Basketball World Cup titles playing for Spain. He's one of the best international players to come out of Spain and is a true legend of the sport.
With that said, congrats to Marc Gasol for having an illustrious career in and out of the NBA. His jersey retirement in Memphis is just the icing on the cake on what has been a fantastic basketball career.