Spain’s loss in World Cup could mean another long summer for Griz center
The U. S. keeps rolling through the FIBA Basketball World Cup, continuing Thursday afternoon when Team USA routed Lithuania in the semifinals, 96- 68.
But Spain, the squad predicted to challenge Team USA for the championship, suffered a shocking upset Wednesday and is done playing, thanks to France.
Spain’s crushing defeat as a heavy favorite at home might be considered a good thing in some circles of Grizzlies fans.
The Grizzlies’ all-star center, Marc Gasol, can now rest and recuperate in time to return to Memphis for training camp later this month. Still, Spain’s early exit could mean Gasol isn’t done playing for his native country as he originally planned.
Spain now must qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics by finishing in the top two at the 2015 EuroBasket.
Gasol missed a quarter of the Grizzlies’ 2013-14 season with a knee injury and would have preferred to sit out this summer. However, the 7-footer admittedly felt obligated to play for Spain.
“I have a big responsibility with this team (the Griz) and I don’t want to keep playing every summer having to risk it,” Gasol said earlier this summer. “(Spain knows) that next year, it’s more than likely I won’t be able to play ... next year, I probably won’t play, but this year, it’s important to us.”
Conventional wisdom suggests Gasol already is penciled in on Spain’s 2015 EuroBasket roster. Marc’s brother, Pau, was Spain’s best player this summer and he’s already called into question whether he’ll play for the Spanish National team again. “I would like to play until I am 50, but I doubt I will. It is an honor to play for my country but you never know,” the 34-year- old Pau said. “We have great young players coming through and I am sure that we will have a strong side for the future.”
Spain can qualify without Pau. But how does its EuroBasket squad look sans Pau and Marc? Spain’s strength is in a front line comprised of Pau, Marc and Serge Ibaka.
Marc, 29, has been playing international basketball each summer since at least 2008, putting extra mileage on his body and risking injury. Although the Grizzlies are primed for a deep playoff run this season, the men who write Marc’s checks and supervise him show nothing but support.
Controlling owner Robert Pera and head coach Dave Joerger traveled to Spain in recent weeks to encourage Gasol.
Surely, there will be plenty for Marc to consider beyond the tug of playing for his country.
Marc will become a 2015 free agent unless he signs a contract extension in December. Gasol could opt to sit out EuroBasket, not for the Grizzlies but because of the free-agent process.
Remember, Kevin Love withdrew from Team USA this summer because of his uncertain status with regard to an imminent trade from Minnesota to Cleveland.
Here’s what I ultimately know about Marc: He is intellectual and thoughtful and won’t make a quick decision after that emotional loss to France.
That is how he’s wired.