MEMPHIS, Tenn — A former Memphis Grizzlies star has earned basketball's highest honor, according to an ESPN report Tuesday.
Pau Gasol is one of six named former players and coaches elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
He joins Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade, Dallas Mavericks great Dirk Nowitzki, San Antonio Spurs cornerstone Tony Parker, WNBA great Becky Hammon and legendary Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
The official announcement from the NBA will come over the weekend, Wojnarowski said.
Gasol played for the Grizzlies from 2001-2008, and was the team's first truly great player, earning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, the first time a foreign-born player ever won such award.
He also guided the Grizzlies to their first-ever playoff berth in 2003, as well as the first player in franchise history to become an NBA All-Star, doing so in 2006.
Gasol set the franchise record for rebounds in just his fifth year with 3,072, and still sits third all-time behind his brother Marc and Zach Randolph.
Despite playing less than half of his NBA career in Memphis, he still sits top-five all-time in many statistical franchise records, including minutes played, offensive and defensive win shares, and two-point field goals made.
While he was the Grizzlies' first truly great player, he is best known for his exceptional play alongside Kobe Bryant for a playoff run from 2008-2014 that included two NBA championships. Gasol's number was retired by the Lakers earlier this month, in a game against the Grizzlies.
