L.A. Lakers: Pau Gasol's Intelligence Matters More Than His Toughness

Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol may never entirely escape his reputation as a soft player, but considering the things Gasol has accomplished in his career, does it really matter?

Gasol is a two-time NBA champion, one of the most important members of the Lakers' rotation, and has been instrumental in Los Angeles reaching the NBA Finals each season since he arrived in Hollywood.

Toughness has been an issue for Gasol ever since the Lakers 2008 Finals' loss to the Boston Celtics, but he has persevered from that point by relying on his intelligence, rather than his physicality.

And when I say intelligence I don't just mean on the court.

Gasol's intelligence goes far beyond the basketball court, and if his physical skills would not have led him to the hardwood, Gasol may have very well ended up in an operating room.

Medical school was actually where Gasol envisioned himself as a child, and even though the sights and sounds of the NBA is a far different environment than an emergency room, Gasol has managed to keep in touch with his younger self.

Gasol is a frequent visitor to L.A. area hospitals and surgeons have marveled at the depth of knowledge Gasol has regarding medical procedures.

Some doctors have been so impressed that they have invited Gasol to sit-in on different operations, which may be an indication of his life course after basketball.

I have always been impressed by Gasol's intelligence on the court, and after digging a little into his earlier life, I'm not really surprised at how easy he grasps the game of basketball.

Gasol came from a family who valued education above most things, and from an early age Gasol was far more interested in broadening his horizons than sports.

That may explain Gasol's love for opera, or his interest in different languages, cultures, and history.

It was natural that Gasol would excel in basketball once he discovered his physical gifts for the sport, because the mental aspects of the game were easy.

Gasol spent his early career as a good player who was talented enough to carry his Memphis Grizzlies' team to the playoffs, but he languished in relative obscurity in Tennessee.

When Gasol was traded to the Lakers in 2007 his talents were transported to the game's brightest stage, and Gasol was paired with another player who also had a game that matched his intelligence.

The chemistry between Gasol and Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was immediate, but more impressive was the manner in which Gasol mastered the nuances of the triangle offense in the space of a few weeks.

The triangle is complex mainly because it's more of an idea than a set offense, and it's based on situations, cuts, and movements that are dictated by the defense.

There's a lot of room for improvisation in the triangle, and for a player like Gasol who lists one of his favorite hobbies as thinking, it was a natural fit.

Gasol has blossomed as a Laker and has become the second option Los Angeles has been seeking since Shaquille O'Neal departed, but I would be remiss not to acknowledge the truth in Gasol's soft label.

In 2008 Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis man-handled and bullied Gasol in the post to the point where he became a laughing-stock in some fan circles.

No one denied Gasol's talent, but few thought he had the inner-resolve and toughness to be an NBA champion.

Bryant was pushed around in that series also, but he pushed back, and the same cannot be said for Gasol the majority of the time.

Gasol vowed to get tougher as Bryant did, but I would still credit his and the Lakers' recent success for an even deeper understanding of the Lakers' schemes and strategies, and his increased synergy with Bryant.

Bryant and Gasol's chemistry has advanced to the point where they converse in Spanish to keep their strategies hidden from the opposition.

No big deal, but impressive when you consider that there are probably few other tandems in the NBA who resort to a language other than English during the course of a game.

But, that's the type of player that Gasol is. A person who would accept a guest role on the hit TV show CSI, not for the lure of the limelight, but more because he was interested in the science of forensics.

Those are the types of things that make Gasol a special player, and in the end his intelligence on the court holds far more weight and value than his ability to push opponents around in the paint.