ESP - Gasol: ‘Spain has nothing to envy of Team USA’

ALICANTE (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Pau Gasol firmly believes that Spain can win without him this summer when they try to defend their world title in Turkey.
 
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar announced shortly before winning his second NBA crown in a row that he would not play in Izmir, when Spain go up against New Zealand, Canada, Lebanon, Lithuania and France.
 
"The Spanish national team is a group of players without complexes, with ambition and with nothing to envy of Team USA,” he said.
 
“This Spanish team has made history at every level and I hope the FIBA World Championship in Turkey will bring our fans another happy moment.”
 
Spain have a 15-member preliminary squad that includes Gasol’s brother, Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol.
 
Pau Gasol, the MVP of the 2006 FIBA World Championship and at last year’s EuroBasket in Poland, wishes he could be in the squad in Turkey but it wasn’t to be this time.
 
“It was a painful decision but my body told me that I had to rest,” Gasol said.
 
Spain is right now among the countries dominating the sports headlines around the globe.
 
European champions in football, Spain are preparing to take on Germany in the Semi-Finals of the World Cup in South Africa.
 
The team’s world number one tennis player, Rafa Nadal, also won another Grand Slam on Sunday at Wimbledon.
 
Nadal came and watched Spain play in the Wukesong Arena at the Beijing Olympics.
 
“Rafa Nadal is an example to follow,” Gasol said.
 
“He is incredible in many ways and one can only take his hat off to him.
 
“I am very proud of what he has achieved and to be a friend of his."
 
The seven-footer made his comments in Alicante at his basketball camp, the fifth edition of the Gasol Academy Costa Blanca.
 
FIBA