The Gasol Brothers’ Humble Journeys Toward NBA Domination

Although their methods may differ, the Gasol brothers’ ambitions usually run parallel to one another. Serene and goal-oriented, Pau Gasol has always seemingly had his life figured out. If it weren’t for his lanky 7-foot stature, Pau may well have become a doctor.

Mar Gasol, contrarily, had no such notions growing up. Via Marc Gasol quote” href=”http://www.nba.com/2015/news/features/david_aldridge/02/02/morning-tip-atlanta-hawks-keep-surging-while-danny-ferry-waits-on-sideline-memphis-grizzlies-rise-ranks-behind-marc-gasol-qa-with-toronto-raptors-kyle-lowry?adbid=562296960434974720&adbpl=tw&adbpr=1373313666&cid=nbacomsocial_20150202_39793427#grizzlies” target=”_blank”>NBA.com:

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“Honestly, I didn’t have that goal as clear as Pau did,” Marc Gasol said Thursday. “I was a different kind of kid. Pau always knew what he wanted. He was really good at school, really responsible. I was more of a loose cannon, honestly. I was running around and outside, and getting into a little trouble more than anything. But always in a good way. It was never my fault. It was the other guy. I was just there.”

Thankfully for the Grizzlies, Marc Gasol is “just there” for Memphis as a solid cornerstone for a championship team. Once a lumpy, 300 pound blob in high school, Marc has transformed into the NBA’s most complete big man. After winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012, Marc has established himself as a viable MVP candidate this season.

He’s an ambidextrous scorer with a silky-smooth fadeaway on the low block, and his awareness and intuition have made him the league’s best passing center.

In just a couple of weeks, Marc will be part of history as he and his brother Pau jump center against one another in New York. They are the first pair of siblings ever voted in by fans to start an All-Star game for their respective conferences.

The jump ball will be meaningful for the Gasol family, a small Catalan clan with basketball roots. Marc and Pau’s parents, Marisa and Agusti, both played organized basketball, but have immersed themselves in the world of medicine and helping others.

“Oh, man, I can’t even imagine, what it symbolizes,” Marc Gasol said, “the many, everything that we’ve done since we’ve been (here). It’s like two different ways of doing things. Pau has taken a different path than I’ve taken, and both of us did end up at that jump ball. It symbolizes a lot, and it’s emotional. It’s humbling, because of what it means. Again, you’re going to celebrate it that day, and that weekend, and hopefully a couple of days after, but then it goes back to the rest of the season, and make it as high as we can in the playoffs, and hopefully take it all the way.”

Watch this feature on the Gasol brothers and their journey from Spain to dominating in the NBA. Not only did Memphis give birth to the Blues, but it also sparked the careers of two foreigners who, together, form the NBA’s greatest brother combination of All-Time — though it wasn’t always meant to be this way.

When Gasol (four years older than Marc) was drafted by the Grizzlies in 2001, Marc moved to Memphis along with his parents, where he spent two years playing high school ball in Memphis as a chubby teenager. Marc grew up a fan of the Grizzlies and learned about the game from watching his older brother play.

Marc’s NBA career began in that same city when there were only 2,000 fans in the FedEx Arena.

Marc would marvel at the sight of Pau’s vast array of moves and brilliance on the court. He took note of how his older brother seemed to play the game so effortlessly and in a rhythm. “It’s natural and has a flow to it. It’s like classical music; it has a flow,” Marc said of his brother’s game. “Everything is connected. And so it’s pretty cool to watch.”

When they were kids in Spain, they would shoot hoops all day in their grandmother’s backyard, and then their dad would team with Marc and play two-on-one against Pau. Surely, going head-to-head in Manhattan will hold sentimental value to the Gasol brothers.

“If he posts me, I know he’s going to face up, and see, and look over me,” Marc Gasol said. “He’s going to see where everybody’s at. But that is a scout for a real game. I don’t think they’re going to throw the first ball to Pau. If they do, that’s going be kind of messed up. But it’ll be okay. I’m up for the challenge. He knows what I’m going to do defensively, and I pretty much know what he’s going to do. He’s going to read over me, try to see who’s behind, and he’s probably going to take a hard jab step to the right, to the baseline, to see how I’m going to react. And he’ll take it from there.”

Fast forward a few years, and Marc Gasol was drafted as a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Pau’s days as a member of the Grizzlies weren’t always peachy-keen. Although he won the Rookie of the Year Award, futile playoff appearances and a label as being soft had Pau shipped to the Lakers in 2008, ironically, for his younger brother Marc.

At the time, Pau said that his brother “can be a dominating center in the league.” Of course, this came off as brotherly bias given Marc’s roly-poly frame and unproven talents; however, Marc Gasol has since then revamped his eating habits and work ethic. He showed up to training camp with a much more svelte form than he’s had in previous seasons, and he currently weighs 265 pounds.

He’s a viable MVP candidate and is averaging a career-high in points at nearly 20 per game to go along with 8 rebounds. The slimmed-down 7-footer’s range of attack extends from underneath the basket to the elbow, and he plays both the facilitating and scoring role interchangeably.

He has grown accustomed to the city and his teammates, and while he’ll listen to any and all suitors this summer, he’s not looking to leave.

“I think it just happened,” he said of his comfort level in Memphis. “I was fortunate enough to go to high school here for two years, and seeing Pau develop into the person he is today, in this city. I’m an observer. I always try to learn. And so I picked up a lot of things quick from Pau. And just watching him and seeing him, I was a fan. I was at every home game at the Pyramid watching those games. I ultimately had that dream, going from the fan — any fan would have — playing in that arena, and playing for the team that you’re cheering for. So ultimately, I accomplished that dream from the stands to the floor. That’s pretty cool.”

Pau Gasol decided to sign with the Chicago Bulls this past summer, where his multifaceted skill-set has been on full display — although he was previously being shelved by coach Mike D’Antoni in Los Angeles.

The two-time champ is currently averaging a career-high in boards (12) and blocks (2.2) to go along with his 18.2 points and nearly three assists; he’s provided the defensive-minded Bulls with the scoring punch they’ve desperately needed before his arrival. Pow, Pau!

The lethal yet graceful brothers will experience their family reunion in New York City on Feb. 15 where they’ll face off for the All-Star game; but considering how these 7-foot siblings are towering over the NBA, perhaps meeting in the NBA Finals in June would create the most unforgettable memory of all for the Gasol clique.

Next: The Memphis Grizzlies' Unique Camaraderie

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