Is FIBA World Cup Run a Sign of Career Resurgence for Pau Gasol?
Pau Gasol has looked good in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, which could mean something great is in store for him and his new Chicago Bulls teammates next season.
The 34-year-old Spaniard has been the most dominant player in the tournament, which—if we're being honest—is somewhat surprising given the downward trend his NBA career has experienced lately. A four-year slide felt like a signal that the end was closing in on one of the game's greatest international big men.
| 2010-11 | 23.3 | .232 | .530 | 123 |
| 2011-12 | 20.4 | .165 | .504 | 112 |
| 2012-13 | 16.7 | .107 | .473 | 107 |
| 2013-14 | 19.3 | .076 | .482 | 102 |
Even a mild uptick in productivity last season wasn't enough to convince the skeptics that Gasol might again become the kind of impact player he once was. In painting a potential worst-case scenario earlier this summer, even I had my doubts about the future:
"At 34, players don't usually see sudden spikes in durability—especially if they're about to sign on with [Bulls head coach Tom] Thibodeau and his taxing system."
And I love Gasol.
Fortunately for me and fans of skillful Spanish centers everywhere, there's something different about Gasol's FIBA play—something waaaaay different.
For starters, Pau's numbers have spiked. No player still active in the tournament tops his average of 20.5 points per game. And among the top 20 overall scorers in the World Cup, save for Kenneth Faried, nobody comes close to his field-goal accuracy of 64.4 percent.
Just as impressively, Gasol is averaging 2.2 blocks per game in just 25.7 minutes. That may not sound like much, but he never once averaged more than 2.1 blocks during any season of his NBA career.
We're dealing with a small sample, of course, but Gasol's rebirth is about so much more than numbers. In fact, the stats are of secondary importance to the way he's looked on the court.
Gasol is moving fluidly, confidently...even quickly, which is really saying something for a player who, for all his various talents, has never been particularly fleet of foot. It's as if he's somehow refreshed, newly motivated and (though it's hard to say without climbing inside his head) happy.
His tweets during the tourney would seem to indicate a positive mindset:
While it's remarkable to see a player with Gasol's mileage so suddenly revitalized, it's not difficult to understand the cause: Spain is a joy to play for.
The ball moves, unselfishness is the guiding principle of the offense, and the core of the team has been together for nearly a decade of international competition. Plus, Spain is crushing opponents by an average of more than 25 points per game.
Dominance like that has a way of making basketball more fun, and fun is the great rejuvenator.
In addition, Gasol might also be enlivened by the turn his professional basketball life recently took. He had great success with the Los Angeles Lakers, but to say the ride there was sometimes rough would be a gross understatement. Constant trade rumors, recent coaching upheaval and the always difficult challenge of getting along with the irascible Kobe Bryant surely stifled Gasol, making his escape to the Bulls feel like the first breath of fresh air he'd inhaled in years.
Toss in the clear benefit of good health, and you've got your explanation for Gasol's energized play—play his new coach and teammate have certainly noticed.
Per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (subscription required), Thibodeau noted: "Pau is playing very, very well in all areas. His defense, his rebounding, his passing, his scoring—all those things have been very, very good. I love the way he is moving. He looks like he's completely healthy. He's rejuvenated."
Derrick Rose chimed in, per Johnson:
"Man, he's playing good right now. I think he's proving a lot of people wrong. His touch around the rim is crazy. He should be able to get eight to 10 points from me just driving and dishing him the ball. He has a soft touch for a big and he knows the game. Left hand and right hand, I think that I'm going to get a lot more assists this year because of that.
"
This version of Gasol would do wonders for the Bulls, and there's good reason to believe the guy we're seeing now will still be around during the NBA season.
Because while you could argue Pau's performance is merely a desperate attempt to make the most of what might be his final international tournament or that the relatively weak competition is making him look better than he really is, such a claim doesn't explain what we're seeing.
This doesn't feel desperate or unsustainable because we've seen Gasol play this way before. Years ago, granted, but we've seen it nonetheless. And the key to sustaining it could be the somewhat familiar environment in Chicago.
Nobody's arguing Chicago will have the same fluid, equal-opportunity offense Spain possesses (though the fully healthy 2011-12 Bulls did boast the league's fifth-most efficient attack, per NBA.com), but some of the other traits should feel familiar to Pau.
The Bulls core has been together for a long time. The team is singularly focused on winning. There's a no-nonsense ethos that pervades the club, and though it lacks the happy-go-lucky feel Spain enjoys, there's still a decided lack of personal agendas.
As much as any club in the NBA, the Bulls have functioned in recent years as a team. Injuries and an emphasis on defense have made collective work a must, and Gasol has seemed to delight in the feel of togetherness with the Spanish side.
He'll find something similar with the Bulls.
It's hard to say whether Gasol will succeed in his current chase for gold; Team USA, featuring Thibodeau and Rose, will make that pursuit a difficult one. But if he stays healthy and continues to show off the skills we once thought were disappearing, Pau could find himself in the midst of another championship chase next spring.
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