Gasol joins prestigious list with NBA title, World Cup double
Marc Gasol is loving 2019.
Following Spain's World Cup triumph over Argentina on Sunday, Gasol became just the 19th player ever to win an NBA or WNBA title and an international gold medal in the same calendar year, joining LeBron James and Michael Jordan as part of an impressive cast of names.
Spain wins World Cup, topping Argentina.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) September 15, 2019
Raptors center Marc Gasol becomes the 19th player to win an NBA or WNBA title and a gold medal in the same year. pic.twitter.com/poVhQzATqz
Perhaps more notably, Gasol - who won the NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in June - is the first non-American from either league to pull off the double.
When accounting for the World Cup specifically, Gasol is only the second NBA player to accomplish the feat. Lamar Odom helped Team USA win the 2010 World Championships in Turkey months after winning the Larry O'Brien trophy with the Los Angeles Lakers.
What an amazing year... THANKS!!!
— Marc Gasol (@MarcGasol) September 15, 2019
CAMPEONES DEL MUNDO!!! pic.twitter.com/NUX3lAOIPr
Gasol was also on Spain's roster when it won its first World Cup gold medal in 2006. However, the veteran, then 21 years old, was still two years away from making his NBA debut with the Memphis Grizzlies.