Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Here’s a detailed overview of Marc Gasol:
Player Profile
- Full Name: Marc Gasol Sáez
- Nickname: “Big Spain”
- Nationality: Spanish
- Date of Birth: January 29, 1985
- Hometown: Barcelona, Spain
- Height: 7 ft 1 in (216 cm)
- Weight: 255 lb (116 kg)
- Wingspan: 7 ft 7 in (approx.)
- Shoe Size: US 17 (reported)
- Jersey Number (college and NBA): #33 — Memphis Grizzlies; #33 — Toronto Raptors; #14 — Los Angeles Lakers
- Position: Center
- High School: Lausanne Collegiate School (Memphis, Tennessee)
- College: None (entered NBA from international/high school pathway)
- NBA Draft: 2007 — Round 2, Pick 48, Los Angeles Lakers (rights traded to Memphis)
- Player Archetype: Passing defensive anchor center
- Primary Offensive Role: High-post facilitator and pick-and-pop big
- Defensive Role: Drop-coverage rim protector and team defensive quarterback
- Play Style: Methodical, physical, high-IQ half-court hub with passing emphasis
- Handedness / Shooting Hand: Right-handed
- Athletic Profile: Below-the-rim strength-based center with elite positioning
- Recruiting Status: Unranked international high school prospect
- Draft Status Detail: Second-round stash; rights included in Pau Gasol trade to Memphis
- Injury Status Category: Retired / inactive
- Career Stage: Retired veteran center
- Comparison Style: Arvydas Sabonis–style passing center
- Teams Played For:
- Memphis Grizzlies (2008–2019)
- Toronto Raptors (2019–2020)
- Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021)
- Bàsquet Girona (2021–2024)
- Championship Rings: 1 — Toronto Raptors (2019)
- Parents: Agustí Gasol and Marisa Sáez
- Children: Two daughters with Cristina Blesa
- Siblings: Pau Gasol, Adrià Gasol
- Athlete Relatives: Pau Gasol (NBA champion), Adrià Gasol (college basketball)
- Retirement Age: 39
- Retirement Year: 2024
Marc Gasol’s player archetype was a passing defensive anchor center built around positioning, strength, and decision-making rather than vertical athleticism. Defensively he functioned as a backline quarterback, organizing coverages, protecting the rim through anticipation, and anchoring elite team schemes. Offensively he operated from the elbows and high post, facilitating dribble-handoffs, hitting cutters, and stretching defenses with pick-and-pop shooting, all while using his 7-foot-plus frame and wide base to create space. His physical traits — size, length, and strength — paired with a deliberate tempo produced a cerebral half-court hub whose play style emphasized ball movement, defensive communication, and playoff-level control rather than individual scoring bursts.
Sources:
NBA — Marc Gasol Bio
Basketball Reference — Marc Gasol
ESPN — Marc Gasol wins Defensive Player of the Year