Giannis Antetokounmpo: Ranking the NBA’s best international players ever
By Adam McGee
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol‘s career effectively came to an end during his short-lived and injury-plagued spell as a part of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks last season, but that certainly doesn’t do anything to detract from a phenomenal career overall.
With a trio of Olympic medals, and golds from World Cup and EuroBasket play, not to mention being an MVP twice in the latter and once in the former, Gasol’s FIBA résumé is particularly eye-popping. And yet, taking his NBA career in isolation still leaves no shortage of incredible feats.
Gasol started out his career stateside by earning Rookie of the Year honors, and only continued to rack up individual accolades from there.
The Spaniard made four All-NBA teams over the course of his career, in addition to being a six-time All-Star, and as the crowning achievement he won two championships as the perfect complement to Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009-2010.
An incredibly well-rounded, versatile, and skilled big, Gasol’s game was ahead of its time in many ways. His career averages of 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks are evidence of a player who may have been ever more deadly if he came into the NBA now.
Antetokounmpo’s performance level has already comfortably passed Gasol’s best, but getting over the line as a champion remains a task he’s yet to add to his own list of honors.