Pau Gasol i Sáez (1980), brother of the also well-known Pau Gasol, is a basketball player famous for being the second Spaniard to play in the NBA after Fernando Martín.
Without a doubt, he has been one of the best players to ever come out of the Spanish state and has a simply incredible record: Olympic medalist, world champion and Eurobasket gold medalist. In addition to having been NBA champion twice.
But the most outstanding thing about this great player is without a doubt his values, the respect and humility that he has displayed throughout his active life. Do you want to know a little more about his experiences and opinions? Well Here you have the 70 best famous phrases of Pau Gasol a true legend of international basketball.
1. Michael Jordan always said that you had to play every game as if it were the last of your career. There could be a spectator in the stands who was there to see you and only had that opportunity to do so. In this situation, it is best to follow that basic principle.
He has always declared himself a die-hard Jordan fan, a very good example.
2. Some days it will rain and on others the sun will rise, but you have to be there.
Consistency is something that we must all practice, we must be persistent.
3. We have become stronger after those ups and downs and, in the end, we have overcome adversity.
In any situation, we must know how to overcome it and continue forward, Gasol encourages us to do so in this quote.
4. If you reach the final and lose, too bad; If you don’t arrive, too bad. The only thing worth winning is, we have a competitive and ambitious team.
Sometimes when everything seems against us, we only have to fight to achieve victory.
5. It’s an incredible feeling and now we’re starting to believe it. We really want to live this magical moment.
If we achieve the long-awaited victory, we must also know how to enjoy it.
6. Winning the championship would be incredible, a great dream. I don’t even want to think about the possibility of losing the final: it would be a disaster, a catastrophe.
The ambitions of this great player have always been at the highest.
7. Before I went to games thinking about how much we were going to lose. Now I do it thinking with the idea of winning.
In his career he has seen all colors, winning is a matter of dedication.
8. The NBA suggests spectacle to me, it is the best league in the world, a myth. For me it’s a dream, but I like to think of it as a long-term goal.
Achieving our goals may take time, but they are still exciting.
9. This team would never play to lose or speculate. We are a champion team that has won a lot and we never considered that possibility.
Attitude is something we need to face our fears, without it it will be very difficult to defeat them.
10. Without me, the team can continue fighting for medals, there is plenty of quality.
Gasol’s humility has always been a fundamental part of this player.
11. Failure is part of life. I like to learn from what I live and use it in the future. This experience will help me grow. Failure will make me better. Defeat makes you work to achieve a better result.
Our failures make us the man we will be tomorrow, how we use them is up to us.
12. Well, with the dominance shown in the preparation and in the championship it was difficult to go a mile. Psychologically you relax. In other championships we went from less to more, putting ourselves in elimination situations even before reaching the quarterfinals. In this championship we gave a very great feeling of superiority.
Sometimes, sport, like work, shows us its most grateful aspect, the reward for our efforts.
13. They were different games. It was a disappointment not to have a good game in Sacramento to win after so much effort. Going then to Memphis and losing to a tougher, deeper team was disappointing. We had a chance and we didn’t make it, but then we recovered in Dallas and that was the positive thing about the road trip. Let’s see if we can continue like this.
We must always move forward with our minds set on achieving our goals.
14. I have not come to the NBA to be one more, I want to succeed here. Why should it scare me to be compared to Fernando Martín?
Gasol came to the NBA ready to succeed, no one was going to take victory away from him.
15. I simply congratulate you for having received such an important award so soon, before having won any championship, although I think they could have waited a few years to give you an award of such caliber and have rewarded an athlete with a much better career. prolonged and more worked, I believe. (On the awarding of the 2005 Prince of Asturias Sports Award to Fernando Alonso)
This quote was a bit controversial at the time, but without a doubt this great player showed off his diplomacy to know how to convey his opinion.
16. Adversity is part of life and sport, and the way we are willing to face it can determine our future, and what is certain is that if we face it with determination we will have a better chance of recovering and coming out. triumphant.
Knowing how to recover in difficult moments is something that we must all know how to do, both athletes and individuals.
17. The big difference is the physical aspect, there (in the NBA), they are faster and jump much more, but I think there is not an excessive difference in the quality of players. Every season there are more European players in the NBA and several of them are undisputed starters on their teams.
Little by little, European players achieve greater notoriety in the famous American league.
18. I am a player who works much harder when we are not in the regular season than when we play in the championship. I am always ready for training camps as that is where you really raise your level of play.
Constant work is what makes us stand out from the rest, we must be perseverant.
19. The key was that the other teams faced them without fear, giving 100% of their effort on the court while the Americans only played at 80% because they believed themselves to be superior.
The competitiveness between the teams of each country is something that is taken to the extreme in the Olympics.
20. Any of us can make it to the NBA, that’s for sure. But of course, you have to work hard and not suffer any serious injuries.
The sum of our work and luck will be two determining factors in achieving our objectives.
21. The tallest are not always the highest, the fastest are not always the first, the strongest are not always the ones who win the battle. But those who train the most, put in the most effort and believe in the team the most are the ones who will win the most times.
Without our daily effort, the innate qualities we possess are indifferent, work will make us win or be defeated.
22. In the face of adversity, I grow and I have always lived with the pressure of expectations. I’m not afraid of that.
When we live with sports at the highest level, we become accustomed to that rhythm.
23. I have fierceness, passion and heart when I am on the court. I enter an aggressive state and everything changes. Anyone who thinks I’m soft or not strong enough, I challenge them to a match. I can be very difficult to stop, no matter who defends me.
The confidence we show in our game can be a decisive factor in achieving victory.
24. I feel overwhelming happiness. It’s a unique situation. It’s hard to describe, it’s very hard to achieve this. You realize how much you’ve had to work to get here.
Victories are something that every athlete wants to savor, the objective of every sporting career is to achieve them.
25. It is normal to have bad nights, lose games and make mistakes, because we are all human, but the important thing is to know how to get up as quickly as possible.
We can all make mistakes, what sets us apart is the ability to overcome them.
26. I see the team quite well. Working hard, as always. I see a good balance of the first week and also without injuries, which is always important.
Always being positive about our possibilities is something that can greatly benefit us.
27. What we want is to do things well, compete and finish as high as possible and we have to earn it.
Achieving our goals may be difficult, but we must fight to make them a reality.
28. We’re not doing badly. It depends a little on how you take it. With the experience we have, what marks you is the final result.
Assessing each situation correctly can be difficult, but we must be cautious before making a prediction.
29. The national team gives me a lot. It is a very special feeling to be part of this team.
In order to become a competitive team in any sport, there must be a great brotherhood among its players.
30. My goal has been to disconnect body and mind and rest, but, as you say, I do not give up sports during my days off, although I practice it in another way.
Even on vacation, Pau Gasol admits he never stops practicing sports.
31. Now I have discovered 0.0 Isotonic beer for after these small workouts and cool, I love it.
When we compete at the highest level, the consumption of alcohol and other drugs can take its toll on us.
32. I like to read, cook, go to the movies, be with my family and friends and enjoy music.
Enjoying our free time is something that we all deserve to do, we all need to relax and disconnect.
33. Young people give us energy and intensity in training. They come with enthusiasm and humility and that is important to do things well and add up.
The younger generations bring new blood and enthusiasm to any sport, basketball is no exception.
34. When I leave basketball I intend to be with one foot on one continent and the other foot on the other.
Gasol has enjoyed a very positive career in the NBA and he will always feel at home in the United States.
35. Spain will always be my country even if I am building my life in the United States.
We must never forget our roots and this great player is clear that he will not do so.
36. In the end you have to do the things that feel best with you and with your heart, after they say what they want.
We must be consistent with our thoughts and fight for what makes us happier, we must not do what others want us to do.
37. Yes, finish between 40 and 41 years old.
Between 40 and 41 years old may seem like a very good time to retire from high-level basketball.
38. I am a person of challenges, very ambitious, wanting to do many things.
This player’s ambition has led him to achieve the goals he dreamed of.
39. There are many challenges and all the excitement.
The enthusiasm that we put into what we do is what leads us to make a difference with the rest.
40. I can only hope that they continue with that spirit that we have wanted to leave in the national team and I am convinced that we will qualify for the World Cup in China.
The good feelings of this great player have always been something to take into account, with this quote he wished his teammates the best in the World Cup.
41. I really liked watching the NBA, but the first sport I played was rugby.
Who was going to tell us that this basketball player began his sporting career in rugby? A great anecdote from this international idol.
42. Every moment has been very special in my career, but perhaps I would win the gold medal at the World Cup in Japan.
Being world champions was surely a great satisfaction for him and all his teammates.
43. Michael Jordan, for me the greatest athlete in history.
Without a doubt, Michael Jordan marked a before and after in the world of sports.
44. I like all kinds: Spanish, American, rock, hip hop, black… My friends the Estopa brothers, Mana, Tracy Chapman, U2, Cold Play… but if I had to choose my favorite song now, I would choose “Somewhere.” “only we know” by Keane.
Music is something that this basketball star enjoys very much, as we see in this quote.
45. I don’t usually sleep in pajamas… although it’s no longer a secret because Juan Carlos Navarro told it.
Who was going to tell us? Well indeed, Juan Carlos Navarro.
46. With a day or two of doing nothing, I already have enough to recharge my batteries and go back to the attack.
When we are accustomed to the highest level of demand, we unconsciously cannot slow down.
47. In the end, a leader is someone who has a responsibility, not to himself but to a group.
Leaders are always chosen by the group, they do not proclaim themselves.
48. It is under the basket where I have learned many things.
Basketball is a sport where we can learn many valid lessons for life.
49. Successes and victories have to be enjoyed in the right measure.
Being aware of where we come from and having our feet on the ground is something we must always remember.
50. I am not the same player as when I was 25 or 28.
As the years go by we all change our style of play and attitudes on the court.
51. I still have that energy I talked about before, a young spirit.
We must never lose our connection with the hope we had in our youth.
52. Ego is an important factor, because in the end trust is vital.
In the highest level of sport, confidence is undoubtedly essential, without it we will not achieve glory.
53. The player lives a little deified by his talent and qualities… many players end up with depression in their sports careers.
Retiring is one of the hardest moments for any athlete, we would all like to always stay at the top.
54. At first, the first games were not easy. Each game was looked at with a magnifying glass.
When he arrived in the NBA, Gasol was tested by the entire league, he had to meet many expectations.
55. I have been able to extend my career above average and at a fairly high level, that makes me proud.
Being consistent over time is something very difficult to achieve, but this fantastic basketball player has shown he can make it a reality.
56. I always try to be exceptional, to do the unexpected, what is within the reach of very few.
We must always try to reach the highest, improve ourselves day by day.
57. We don’t have to be very hard on ourselves and understand that error is part of the process and that the ability to get up and get back together is there. There are defeats that hurt a lot.
We all make mistakes, we are human, but it is still very difficult to recognize it.
58. It makes you angry, but that helps you work harder the next day, be more attentive, and be more aggressive.
Getting better in the next game, in the next obstacle, is how we should approach things.
59. I have tried to have a lot of analytical skills in each situation, to understand what the team needed from me, more than my personal benefit.
Being aware of the team’s situation is essential in this type of sports, we are not alone on the field.
60. If I assume my position and managed to adapt without pride and wounded ego, I am doing my job.
Sometimes we must resign ourselves and settle for a greater good, games are won as a team, not alone.
61. Let them understand that there will be obstacles, difficult moments and doubts, but they have to be overcome and persevere in your passion.
In our career we will always encounter obstacles and difficulties, sport is like that.
62. The fact that I am an elite athlete in a recognized sport makes children give me special attention.
The youngest are devoted to great athletes, they are their example to follow.
63. It is not an aspect, that of politics, in which I have entered, that I dominate, nor that I have followed very closely, it escapes me a lot…
Gasol doesn’t usually get involved in politics, he knows he should focus on sports.
64. The leader is because the rest grant him that category.
Indeed, to be leaders others must give us their approval.
65. We work in our foundation to promote a healthy life, being active…
The Gasol family foundation tries to promote a healthy lifestyle in the little ones.
66. I balance this frustration of not having been a doctor with the impact I have visiting children and families.
In this quote he shows us the concerns he felt about medicine and that not being able to fulfill them still bothers him.
67. We collaborate on a program called Dream Big to encourage young people to follow their dreams, be entrepreneurial and not be afraid to make mistakes.
Dreaming of achieving our goals is something that we should all do, because only in this way will we be able to achieve them.
68. The World Health Organization recommends 60 minutes of physical or vigorous activity a day and that is not being met.
The vast majority of people do not meet the daily minimum recommended physical activity.
69. Before, our parents had a hard time making us return home; Now it is difficult for parents to take their children out of the house.
New technologies have created a generation of young people who are much more sedentary.
70. These trips affect you and it takes you a few days to digest and return to balance and normality, they help me to have perspective and value what I have and what I experience.
Pau Gasol makes many solidarity trips to collaborate with various NGOs and as he explains to us in this quote, with them he learns a lot about the value of life in various parts of the world.
