Marc Gasol will start the season sidelined for Girona Basquet as he’s considering retirement. “It’s costing more than i expected”
After ending his career in the NBA, Marc Gasol returned to his home country of Spain to play basketball for a club he owns – Girona Basquet. Even though the last season – and the first for the club in the Spanish Liga Endesa (ACB) – was personally successful, the veteran center will not start the season as a player.
In a recent conversation for the club’s official website, Gasol revealed that he would take his time to make the final decision on his retirement.
“What I know for sure is that I will not start the season. It’s costing me much more than I expected when I made the decision. It’s a more complicated introspective exercise than I anticipated,” Gasol admitted.
“I think the smart thing to do right now is not to start the season, to not start at Basquet Girona… and then we’ll see,” he said. “There is another guy to come an interior player. And with this player, we consider the squad closed.”
Gasol shared that he finished the season while playing through an injury.
“It was a bit unconscious and irresponsible on my part, but I felt that the team needed it, and we pushed forward,” the big man explained. “Now it’s no longer the time for it. It’s now time for another type of time and another type of decision, of acceptance of reality and thinking about the future, which is what it touches.”
“You have to make a decision that is not easy to make. It has a very big impact – first, on myself, and then on everyone around you. And it’s not as easy as expected, really,” he continued. “I also apologize to the people who are waiting because I know that it’s not easy to understand. It should be much clearer. But believe me – it is something that is in me every day and what I think about at all times.”
At 38 years old, Gasol finished the 2022-23 season averaging 10.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for 16.2 PIR in the ACB last season.