Pau Gasol loyalty to the Spanish National team. Spain's greatest basketball player participated while his fellow free agents from the USA (Kevin Love for example) used it as an excuse. But it might be best to change the guard after this year.
The All-Star center who won two NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers took his hosting duties to heart. He event tweeted his congratulations to the teams that qualified. Here's Gasol tweeting Philippines' national team head coach Chot Reyes:
@coachot That would be fun! If not, hopefully we'll meet at the World Championship!
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) September 23, 2013
The gracious Spaniard was a model for all athletes and an icon in the international stage including this tournament. He led all players in their efficiency ratings and led Spain's dominating, undefeated charge-all the way to the quarterfinals.
France dealt the tournament's biggest upset-probably the most painful for Spain because it was in their homecourt and they had the best chance to win the Cup. Young Frenchman center and incoming NBA sophomore Rudy Gobert challenged Gasol in the game.
The Spanish stalwart put up a good fight, but it was not enough. NBC Sports recounts:
"The result was a shocking upset - France 65, Spain 52. No Tony Parker or Joakim Noah, no problem. France advances on to the World Cup semifinal Friday against Serbia.
Host Spain is done. Adios. It was shocking because they were undefeated in the tournament having won their previous six games by an average 26.5 points."
The natural fallout would be grave frustration from an athlete who clearly gave his best. The implications for the future from the NY Times:
You never know when it is your last game or your last tournament," Gasol told reporters after the 65-52 loss.
"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...We have great young players coming through and I am sure that we will have a strong side for the future."
"It is a painful defeat. We had big hopes and up until now had been playing very well.... I am proud of the team and my team-mates. It reminds me of Athens 2004 (Olympics) when we won all the games and we lost in the quarter-finals. It is very painful but it is part of sport."
Pau Gasol is 34 years old and it certainly looked that way opposite France's 22-year old Gobert. He will join the Chicago Bulls this season on a three year contract to chase an NBA championship before he retires.
Sadly for Spain, that could probably be the last of Pau's goals as a basketball player.
