Pau Gasol has enjoyed a brilliant international career for Spain, and he added another chapter to his storied legacy on Thursday in the semifinals of EuroBasket. Gasol finished with 40 points and 11 rebounds as Spain outlasted France 80-75 in overtime to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
For Gasol, the opportunity to avoid playing in another high pressure international tournament next summer just to qualify for the Olympics was all the motivation he needed. This is likely to be the last Olympics of Gasol's proud career, and he was playing like someone who refused to let his country be locked out of Rio.