Lakers’ Marc Gasol reminisces about Memphis after his triumphant return
Lakers center Marc Gasol was the narrator during a video tribute from the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, his voice full of pride for a city he had first called home as a teenager, a voice full of joy from those special times with his “Grit and Grind” brothers such as Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, a voice full of happiness from the charity work he did in the city.
As Gasol looked up at the videoboard and heard his voice speaking over a montage from his time in Memphis, his only wish was that fans could have been inside FedExForum to share in the moment, but they were not able to attend because of the COVID-19 restrictions.
This was Gasol’s first game back in Memphis after playing parts of 11 seasons with the Grizzlies from 2008 to 2019. He signed with the Lakers in November after playing for Toronto last season. He first came to Memphis at age 16 to go to high school, arriving in the city after his brother Pau was a Grizzlies rookie in 2001.
LeBron James was the driving force in the Lakers’ 108-94 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday by scoring 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter.
Gasol, who was drafted by the Lakers in 2007, was traded to Memphis in February 2008 in a deal in which Pau went to the Lakers. Gasol joined the Grizzlies in July 2008, returning to a city he had first lived in as a teen coming from Barcelona.
The Grizzlies reached the playoffs in seven of the seasons Gasol played for them, and he recalls how the city of Memphis embraced the team and its tough style of play. The city loved him back for that — and because Gasol committed himself to charity work in the community at places such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
Highlights from the Lakers’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
“Memphis, it’s a place that — I don’t know. It’s a special place to me that’s been my home, like, I’ve been here so long,” Gasol said after the Lakers defeated Memphis 108-94. “I got here in 2001 when the franchise actually moved here, so imagine how many years. This is the 20th year since I got here, so the franchise means a lot to me. It’s a part of who I am.
“The city, the fans, the hospitals that are here, the children’s hospitals — not only St.Jude but also Bonheur. It’s a huge part of who I am and what I stand for as a man and the values I try to teach my kids. So, Memphis, you know, it’s part of who I am. So it’s been awesome and like I said, a full arena would have made it a little more special and a little harder too at the same time. It would have been a little more emotional.”
Gasol was traded by the Grizzlies to the Raptors on Feb. 7, 2019. He wasn’t able to play in Memphis with Toronto after the NBA halted play in March because of the coronavirus.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said it made perfect sense for Becky Hammon to take over as coach after his ejection since the Lakers were her scout team.
“Yeah, you always have it in the back of your mind, ‘When am I gonna play in Memphis again?’ But in your mind, it’s also, ‘The stands are full,’ ” Gasol said. “That’s kind of, like I said, it makes it easier when nobody’s out there. But at the same time, it makes it a little less special. Because the people is what made this journey here in Memphis unique and special to me. When you’re playing for a team and a community that is so close to the team, you become, obviously, one of them and become tied. You have the same identity and you represent Memphis, Tennessee, everywhere you go.”
He kept his emotions in check during the video tribute and then produced a typical Gasol game — seven points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal and no turnovers.
“And from the video, I get those interactions. Those interactions that were special,” Gasol said. “Those interactions with the fans from the year I got here all the way until I got traded. Being a part of the community, to me, was the most important thing.”
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