By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
As expected, tributes to Marc Gasol and his career have quickly followed his announcement of retiring from professional basketball, and one of the most recent ones is undoubtedly among the most significant.
The Memphis Grizzlies, the team where he played his first 11 seasons in the NBA, have announced that they will retire his jersey number 33 on April 6, coinciding with the game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Gasol will become the second player in franchise history to have his jersey number retired, joining Zach Randolph, whose No. 50 was retired on December 11, 2021.
The younger of the Gasol brothers played in Tennessee from 2008 to 2019, playing a key role in those Grit & Grind Grizzlies who, despite not winning a championship, were one of the most special teams in the NBA in recent times.
Wearing the number 33 that no one else will be able to wear for the Grizzlies, Marc managed to play in three All-Star Games, be part of two NBA All-Defensive Teams (one first and one second), and also won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013.
He is the Grizzlies’ all-time leader in minutes played (25,917), games started (762), field goals made (4,341), free throws made (2,701), defensive rebounds (4,624), total rebounds (5,952) and blocks (1,135) and ranks second in franchise history in games played (769), points (11,684), assists (2,639), offensive rebounds (1,318), double-doubles (194) and triple-doubles (5) and places third in steals (708).