TORONTO (2016 Rio Olympics) - Pau Gasol realises that the 2016 Rio Olympics are probably his final Summer Games. And the Chicago Bulls center hopes he and Spain can put themselves in position to return to the podium for a third straight time. 

"My goal is to compete, compete with our team, to see if we can win another medal," Gasol said at the NBA All Star weekend in Toronto. 

Spain have reached the title game the past two Olympics, losing to the United States at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012. 

"We’ve been very close to winning a gold medal the last two Olympics. We just want to go out there and do our best as we always do with our national team and give ourselves a chance to do something special." - Pau Gasol

Gasol will turn 36 years old between the end of the NBA season and the 2016 Olympics in Rio from 6-21 August. The Barcelona native knows Rio 2016 will likely be his final Olympics, but the three-time Olympian wasn’t ready to say it would be his final hurrah with the Spanish national team.

"I don’t know, maybe. But we’ll see. Any championship can be your last championship. I know it’s probably going to be my last Olympics for sure. Will it be my last championship? Maybe, we’ll see,” said Gasol, the MVP of the EuroBasket 2015-title winning Spanish team. 

The two-time NBA champion said he’s enjoying his time with the Chicago Bulls, especially playing alongside fellow Spanish international Nikola Mirotic.

"I try to mentor Niko Mirotic as much as I can. He’s a young guy trying to figure things out. He’s got a lot of potential. He looks up to me so we are very close and have spent time together off the floor. And I try to mentor him.”

Gasol also realises that his time in the NBA is slowly coming to an end, playing out his 16th season in the league. And the 2006 world champion is looking to pass on his knowledge and experience to other youngsters who might be interested.  

"I will look after any guy who wants to learn and has that desire and understands that you have to reach out and learn from the people that have the experience, the knowledge and the success. I also encourage young guys to know that my door is open to talk to me and I will give advice."

Gasol already has plenty of winning experience, but the Spanish veteran is hoping for one more magical Olympics ride this summer.

FIBA