On Thursday, the Memphis Grizzlies announced that they will retire Marc Gasol’s No. 33 on Saturday, April 6, at FedExForum following the game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Gasol will become the second player in franchise history to have his jersey number retired, joining Zach Randolph, whose No. 50 was retired on December 11, 2021.
Marc was acquired by the Grizzlies on Feb. 1, 2008 – 16 years ago today – in a trade that saw the Grizzlies send his brother Pau to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Barcelona, Spain, native played 11 seasons (2008-19) with the Grizzlies and helped guide the franchise to seven consecutive playoff appearances, including the club’s first postseason series victory in 2011 and a trip to the 2013 Western Conference Finals.
He is the Grizzlies’ all-time leader in minutes played (25,917), games started (762), field goals made (4,341), free throws made (2,701), defensive rebounds (4,624), total rebounds (5,952) and blocks (1,135) and ranks second in franchise history in games played (769), points (11,684), assists (2,639), offensive rebounds (1,318), double-doubles (194) and triple-doubles (5) and places third in steals (708). Among postseason leaders, he ranks first in minutes played, free throws made, defensive rebounds and blocks and places second in games played, games started, points, rebounds, assists, field goals made, offensive rebounds and total rebounds.
Gasol was named the 2012-13 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first European-born player to receive the award, after anchoring a Grizzlies defense that allowed a league-low 89.3 points per game to opponents during a franchise-record 56-26 campaign. He was selected to the 2014-15 All-NBA First Team – the only player in franchise history to receive All-NBA First Team honors – and the 2012-13 All-NBA Second Team and All-Defensive Second Team.
In addition, Gasol appeared in a franchise-record three NBA All-Star Games (2012, 2015, 2017) and became the first player in Grizzlies history to be voted a starter, tipping-off the 2015 All-Star Game against older brother Pau Gasol at Madison Square Garden. To date, the Gasols are the only siblings in NBA history to start in the same All-Star Game.
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