Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA: 30 greatest international players in league history

By Daniel Lubofsky

SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Guard Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball past Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Guard Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball past Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
23 of 30
Next
Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Greatest international NBA players of all time: 8. Marc Gasol

Fans of the Memphis Grizzlies weren’t incredibly fond of Marc Gasol upon his arrival. In fact, they were still fuming at the return for All-Star big man Pau Gasol, which included the draft rights to his brother, an overweight late second-round pick.

As the years went by, that frustration turned into pure joy and adoration for a guy who is now one of the best in the team’s short history. The Grizzlies became a perennial playoff contender and Gasol a phenomenal two-way player. He would make three All-Star appearances with two All-NBA selections as well, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2012-13.

Tony Allen and Zach Randolph were the outspoken leaders of the famous Grit and Grind era while Mike Conley was the floor general controlling the offense. Through seven consecutive playoff appearances, Gasol was always the quiet presence inside, rarely the flashiest but usually the most effective.

Gasol would spend 11 seasons in Memphis, averaging 15.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. The Grizzlies had helped mold him to prominence while the Spaniard was trying to help keep them afloat during his later years. It became a sunken cause, leading Memphis to ship him up north of the border to the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

After leaving the only NBA team he’d ever known, Gasol would be forced to alter his game for a team in pursuit of a championship. His points and shot attempts per game dropped to career-lows, but he was as valuable as ever defensively while bringing in a new dimension to Toronto’s offense with his passing gift.

Whatever sacrifices Gasol may have had to make proved well worth it in the long run. The Raptors defeated the 60-win Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals before taking down the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals en route to their first championship in franchise history.

Gasol had spent years trying to climb the mountaintops with the Grizzlies, only to claim the ultimate prize in Toronto. He would’ve no doubt loved to bring a title to Memphis, but the championship, no less, ties a bow around what continues to be an improbable — and likely Hall of Fame — NBA career.