• Ricky. "The union is essential"

Pau Gasol spoke about the possibility of playing the Tokyo Games in 2021 after they have been postponed as a result of the coronavirus crisis and expressed the hope that the one in the Japanese capital will be his fifth Olympic event. "Now, on the one hand, I have more time to recover but I will have to play competitively to get to the summer of 2021 at a good level in order to be able to compete and help my country," Pau said, speaking to Olympic Channel.

"It is not a negative thing, but the truth is that by then I will be 41 years old . It is something that stimulates me because I have always been guided by challenges and I am very ambitious. I still want to be able to play my fifth Games, which is possibly my last tournament, "he said.

In that sense, he believes that winning an Olympic medal, preferably gold, would be 'the best possible way' to end his career: "I have assumed that if I don't have the opportunity to play again I will have had an incredible career and I will be happy . Yes I can play something else, for which I work hard, and enjoy the sport I love a little more, it would be great. I have body and mind in it, but we'll see. "

"I don't know yet if my foot will be able to recover and bear the effort, load and stress that professional basketball demands at forty. I try to control what I can control, to do what I can do at home. And a Once I can do something else, I will. I need to see the doctors but right now I can't, "he said.

The Dream Team

He also recalled what the American basketball team represented at the Barcelona 92 ​​Olympics, known as the Dream Team, for him: "I was 12 years old, I played basketball and I liked this sport. That original Dream Team really changed the He disciplined and inspired and impacted children and young people, especially my generation. It opened our eyes and made us dream big . "

On his position as a person who inspires others, he said: "It is a great gift to be able to inspire people. I take it as an opportunity and, to a certain extent, as a responsibility. I believe that when someone inspires you and it reaches you , it is up to you to inspire others in a similar way. I think it is part of the way of life. We acquire knowledge, we gain experience and then we share it inspiring others. "

Lastly, he spoke about the healthcare professionals and other professionals whom he considered a reference: "There are many people who inspire me right now. The healthcare personnel who are working very hard during this coronavirus crisis are very inspiring. They are people who work against the clock in situation of risk for the good of the society of their countries and communities. These people inspire ".

"People who are trying to find a solution in healthcare, science, politics. If you do everything you can to do something bigger than yourself, that is inspiration for me," he concluded.

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  • Pau Gasol
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