{"id":72202,"date":"2024-04-07T14:35:10","date_gmt":"2024-04-07T18:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=72202"},"modified":"2024-04-07T14:35:10","modified_gmt":"2024-04-07T18:35:10","slug":"grizzlies-retire-jersey-beloved-big-man-marc-gasol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/04\/07\/grizzlies-retire-jersey-beloved-big-man-marc-gasol\/","title":{"rendered":"Grizzlies Retire Jersey of Beloved Big Man"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On Saturday night, the Memphis Grizzlies honored beloved big man <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gasolma01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Marc Gasol<\/a> with a jersey retirement ceremony.<\/p>\n<h2>Grizzlies Retire Beloved Marc Gasol\u2019s Jersey<\/h2>\n<p>Surrounded by friends, family, former teammates, fans, and members of the Grizzlies organization, the 39-year-old watched his familiar No. 33 jersey get raised into the rafters as smoke billowed from behind the banner.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Marc Gasol watches his jersey get lifted into the rafters in Memphis \ud83d\udc4f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1wWf2UzNjR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/1wWf2UzNjR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NBA (@NBA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBA\/status\/1776814915870716151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"ht\">Marc Gasol \ud83e\udd1d Pau Gasol <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/agRgzCYApu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/agRgzCYApu<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NBA (@NBA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NBA\/status\/1776824364870070369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Gasol, a 13-year NBA veteran, was a decorated player in his time with the Grizzlies. A three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection, the magnum opus at the time was winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, Gasol <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2019\/06\/26\/marc-gasol-deserves-respect-title-run\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">won a championship<\/a> with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, the season after Memphis traded him. However, when Gasol won the award over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LeBron James<\/a>, it was the crowning achievement of his Grizzlies career. Long considered one of the better defensive big men in the league, Gasol\u2019s performance that season helped Memphis win their most games (56) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/teams\/MEM\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in franchise history<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>The Greatest Player in Grizzlies History?<\/h3>\n<p>Speaking of history.<\/p>\n<p>Gasol ranks first in minutes played (25,917), field goals (4,341), free-throws (2,701), rebounds (5,942), and blocks (1,135) in Grizzlies franchise history. He ranks second in games (769), points (11,684), assists (2,639), and triple-doubles (5), while coming in at third in steals (708). Making a strong case to be considered the greatest Grizzlies player of all-time, his <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/03\/26\/timberwolves-mike-conley-passes-legends-all-time-leaderboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">only competition for the mantle<\/a> is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/conlemi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mike Conley<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Conley, a teammate of Gasol for the center\u2019s entire tenure in Memphis, made sure to show up for the retirement ceremony. Joining them were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/randoza01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zach Randolph<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/allento01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tony Allen<\/a>. Two of the most memorable players in Grizzlies history, Randolph and Allen were Gasol\u2019s teammates for eight and seven seasons, respectively.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"zxx\"><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WdggqBMLas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/WdggqBMLas<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/memgrizz\/status\/1776802414823150050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">full circle 4\ufe0f\u20e3 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KxWwbS99wF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/KxWwbS99wF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/memgrizz\/status\/1776836894778683645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>A Stirring Speech<\/h3>\n<p>During the ceremony, Gasol had an opportunity to address the crowd.<\/p>\n<p>Responding to a question about when or if he\u2019d come to view Memphis as a second home, the Barcelona native says, \u201cWell, I had a very unique perspective because I came as a 16-year-old\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI had a perspective from the fan point of view of what is expected of the team here in Memphis. I did that for two years here and then obviously followed the team when I went back to Spain\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When I came back as a Grizzlies player in 2008, I carried that with me. I played with that kind of pride. I hope everybody enjoyed what they saw for so many years.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">the grit and grind culture was built from the beginning.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Alluding to his brother <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gasolpa01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pau <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gasolpa01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gasol\u2019s<\/a> tenure with the Grizzlies, it certainly is unique for Gasol to have been a fan of his brother\u2019s team, only to begin his career with the same organization.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p>\ud83d\udd0a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarcGasol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@MarcGasol<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oYEZwqrOKq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/oYEZwqrOKq<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/memgrizz\/status\/1776820529413939377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Gasol also addressed his former teammates.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cBack when I was 19 years old, I used to play a game\u2026 I used to imagine I was Michael Jordan with the fadeaway. I imagined I was Larry Bird with the 3. Or Magic Johnson with the no-look pass.<\/p>\n<p>25 years later, I kind of played the same game after I got traded from the Grizzlies to the Raptors. I imagined \u2018How would Tony Allen approach this defensive assignment tonight that he has against the best player on the other team?\u2019\u2026 When they let me, or when they asked me, I thought \u2018Okay, how is Z-Bo gonna take over this stretch of the game and be a piece on the block. And through it all, I thought, \u2018How is Mike Conley going to keep it all together on a championship run.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">a message from #33 \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udd0a <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/N6YNuGnUBG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/N6YNuGnUBG<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/memgrizz\/status\/1776825348660818403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 7, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I was able to accomplish the biggest goal as a basketball player,\u201d Gasol says, \u201cwhich is to win an NBA ring, these three guys that meant so much to me along the way were right there at the fore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was a stirring speech and a monumental occasion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Saturday night, the Memphis Grizzlies honored beloved big man Marc Gasol with a jersey retirement ceremony. Grizzlies Retire Beloved Marc Gasol\u2019s Jersey Surrounded by friends, family, former teammates, fans, and members of the Grizzlies organization, the 39-year-old watched his familiar No. 33 jersey get raised into the rafters as smoke billowed from behind the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5008,"featured_media":72207,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32,1608,62,3],"tags":[442,208,651,1064],"class_list":["post-72202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grizzlies","category-basketball","category-nba","category-news","tag-marc-gasol","tag-mike-conley","tag-tony-allen","tag-zach-randolph"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5008"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72202"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72202\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}