Overview

The brother of Memphis Grizzlies' forward Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol is more of a classic center.

Born in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain, Marc Gasol spent the 1998-2001 seasons playing for Winterthur F.C. Barcelona in the Spain-Youth Team League. The younger Gasol then joined his brother in the United States while attending Lausanne Collegiate Schoolin Memphis from 2001-03.

Gasol returned to F.C. Barcelona for the 2003-06 seasons, playing in the ACB League. He averaged 3.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists while hitting on 23 of 38 field goals (60.5 percent) and 19 of 34 free throws (55.9 percent) in 21 games as a reserve in 2005-06. He was much more effective during the U-20 European Championship in Russia, where he averaged 16.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

Gasol was part of the Spanish FIBA World Championship team in 2006, playing alongside his brother, Pau, and guard Rudy Fernandez, who is expected to be selected in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Gasol switched to Akasvayu Girona for the 2006-07 season. He started 11 of 33 games, as he shot 62.1 percent on two-point attempts (123 of 198), 45.5 percent from the 3-point range (5 of 11) and 65.1 percent from the free-throw line (97 of 149). He scored 358 points, averaging 10.5 points per game. He had a 5.5 rebounding average, as 69 of his 181 boards came off the offensive glass. He was also credited with 30 blocked shots and doled out 39 assists, mostly off of screens.

Scouting Report

Positives: Widebody with good strength, long arms and a good reach...Feels much more comfortable playing with his back to the basket...Is a physical defender playing in the paint...Does a decent job when he puts the ball on the floor with his right hand and is capable of drawing contact on his path to the basket...Handles the ball effectively for a player his size and is alert to where his teammates are positioned...Quick to look for the open outlet and a better shot...Works well distributing the ball to his guards in transition and has a nice move under the basket...Will check every outlet first before creating his own shot...When he parks himself in the lane, opponents can't seem to move him out, leaving him free for the defensive rebound to keep the offense going...Willing passer with the quickness to keep the flow of the game going...Has a soft shooting touch from short range, getting most of his points on putbacks, as he uses his strength to overpower the defender when attacking the rim...His long reach lets him keep the ball high and away from his opponent, negating their double-team activity, as he shows the vision to quickly dish it out to an open man...Takes pride in his ability to draw the opponent into foolish fouls, as he loves generating contact working inside.

Negatives: Might have been better playing in the 225-pound range as a power forward, as the additional bulk in recent years has slowed him significantly...Likes to shoot with his right hand, but is not as effective with his jump hook as when he executes the same move with his left hand...Relies on positioning to contain his man, but if he gives the opponent a side, he is easily beaten, as he lacks the agility to recover... Uses his body well to get position, but gets a little unbalanced when he has to defend on the perimeter...Lacks range to shoot from the outside and seems very reluctant to even attempt those shots (only 12 attempts in the last two years)...Needs to get himself in better condition, as he tends to lose stamina as the game progresses (averaged 10 minutes per game in 2005-06 and 22 minutes last year)...Will at times use his length to deflect shots, but is not a consistent shot blocker and fails to get good elevation...Will struggle to get up and down the court, especially in an up-tempo game.

Compares To: KELVIN CATO, New York Knicks. Until he gets into better condition and improves his foot speed, Gasol is nothing more than a big, physical body. He can draw fouls and dish the ball, but is only effective for short spurts. He applies good pressure in the paint and has a decent shot close to the basket, but despite his size, he lacks the leaping ability to dominate the boards. He is good dishing the ball out to his guards and keeps the ball high and away from the opponent. There are too many holes in his game for him to see much more than garbage time off the end of the bench at this stage in his career.

Personal

Bother, Pau Gasol, is an All-Star for the Memphis Grizzlies, having played five seasons in the National Basketball Association...Born 1/29/85 in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain...Resides in Barcelona, Spain.

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