ESP – Marc Gasol reigns in Spain as Player of Year

MADRID (ACB) - Spain international Marc Gasol capped his remarkable campaign on Monday by being named MVP of the 2007-08 ACB.

The Akasvayu Girona center, who will play for his country at the Beijing Games this summer, collected 10 more votes from the coaches and 10 more from the players over nearest challenger and good friend, Rudy Fernandez of DKV Joventut.

"It's something very beautiful and important for a player,” Gasol said.

When asked about surpassing world legend and former Real Madrid star Arvydas Sabonis of Lithuania with the respect to the number of times he has was voted ACB Player of the week in one season, Gasol replied: "To me, it seems too much merit because Arvydas Sabonis is the best center there has been in Europe."

Gasol earned the weekly honor 11 times – one more than Sabonis. 

Ricky Rubio, the 17-year-old phenomenon of DKV, was third in the voting while Bilbao’s excellent Brazil international Marcelinho Huertas was fourth.

All four players were last week named in the ACB’s Ideal Quintet, along with Real Madrid big man Felipe Reyes.

Joan Plaza of Real Madrid was voted the ACB’s Coach of the Year after steering his club to a first-place finish during the regular season.

FIBA