SAITAMA (FIBA World Championship) - Despite not playing in Spain's historic victory over Greece in the final of the FIBA World Championship, Pau Gasol was selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Gasol missed the final after suffering a broken bone in his left foot during Spain's semi-final win over Argentina on Friday.

The power forward/center, who was cheering Spain from the sidelines in the final, averaged better than 21 points and nine rebounds as his team went undefeated in Japan.

"I'm very happy about the honor," Gasol said. "I tried to play as well as I could to help my team get this far. It was unfortunate that I couldn't play in the final because of my injury.

"But the job my team-mates did in this game was so amazing. And I'm so proud of them."

One journalist from each of the 16 eight-finalist nations selected the five-man squad.

Joining Gasol were his team-mate power forward Jorge Garbajosa, who had 20 points in the final, Team USA's small forward Carmelo Anthony, Argentina guard Manu Ginobili and Greece playmaker Theo Papaloukas.

By Simon Wilkinson, FIBA