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Pau Gasol has been named a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame. Photo Courtesy of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Pau Gasol has been named a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame. Photo Courtesy of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Pau Gasol named among the finalists for the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

The Spanish-born basketball player won two NBA championships during his 18-year NBA career, in addition to other accolades during his international career.

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The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class, and among the inductees will be Pau Gasol.

The Spanish-born basketball player played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association, amassing numerous accolades along the way. 

Gasol is a two-time NBA Champion, six-time NBA All-Star, made four All-NBA Teams, and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2002.

Just last month, Gasol got his No. 16 jersey retired by the Los Angeles Lakers, the very team he won his two NBA championships with.

Gasol also carved out an impressive résumé during both his international and Olympic careers, as well.

He played his final professional basketball season with FC Barcelona, where he began his basketball career in his native country, Spain in 1998.

Gasol won a gold medal in the 2006 World Cup, before winning three additional gold medals in the European Basketball Championship games in 2009, 2011 and 2015, respectively. 

Throughout his Olympic career, Gasol won a silver medal during the 2008 and 2012 games, as well as a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics. 

His long list of accolades has allowed Gasol to stake his claim as inarguably the greatest and most accomplished professional basketball player to ever come out of Spain.

His induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is just the latest achievement of his illustrious career, perhaps the most exclusive honor one can receive.

The full list of 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame finalists are:

Dwayne Wade: 3-time NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, 13-time NBA All-Star, 8 All-NBA Team selections, 3 NBA All-Defensive Team selections, NBA scoring champion

Dirk Nowitzki: NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, NBA MVP, 14-time NBA All-Star, 12 All-NBA Team selections, holds the NBA record for most seasons played with a single team (21).

Tony Parker: 4-time NBA Champion, Finals MVP, six-time NBA All-Star, All-NBA Team selection

Becky Hammon: 6-time WNBA All-Star, four-time All-WNBA First Team, WNBA assist champion, WNBA Champion (coach), WNBA Coach of the Year

Gregg Popovich: 5-time NBA champion (coach), three-time NBA Coach of the Year, winningest regular season coach in NBA history 

Gene Keady: 7-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, five-time National Coach of the Year, 6-time Big Ten regular season champion

Gene Bess: winningest coach in college basketball history 

Gary Blair: NCAA Division I champion, Olympic gold medalist (U.S. women’s team)

David Hixon: 2-time Division III national champion, 2-time Division III Coach of the Year

1976 United States Olympic women’s basketball team: the first appearance for Women’s Olympic Basketball 

Jim Valvano: NCAA Men’s National Champion, two-time ACC Tournament Champion

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