Pau Gasol is one of the most underrated future Hall of Famers playing right now. While people do know he was a beast in his prime, that still does not stop the fact that he tends to get overlooked. Part of that comes from winning his titles as the side-kick to Kobe Bryant and the other part comes from playing during a time where there was other superstar power forwards thriving in his era. Power forwards such as Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk Nowitzki. Nevertheless, Gasol will still be remembered as an NBA legend when it is all said and done. With this in mind, it is time to take a look at the most underrated season of his career. Without further adieu, let’s dive right in and take a look.
Pau Gasol: His Most Underrated Season
Pau Gasol: His First Year with the Chicago Bulls
Many often forget Gasol had a stint with the Chicago Bulls. As a matter of fact, he even made a couple of All-Star Games while in a Chicago uniform. This gave Gasol the chance to go up against his younger brother, Marc Gasol, in that same All-Star Game. During Pau’s first year with the Bulls, he proved many of his critics wrong. Many thought the Spanish sensation was washed and had nothing left in the tank.
They were wrong. He made Chicago into a formidable opponent that season teaming up with the likes of a young Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose, and Joakim Noah who some argue was still in his prime. Though they did not win a title this particular season, they were still a tough team to defeat and Gasol helped lead them to a 50-32 win-loss record. This Bulls squad would eventually succumb to the Cleveland Cavaliers (led by the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving) in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Meal Ticket’s 2014-15 Numbers
Gasol would tally 18.5 points per game in his first season with the Bulls. This was a promising sign as it was in the same ball-park as his scoring totals when the Lakers were winning titles with him and Kobe. He also grabbed 11.8 rebounds per game and even did his part on the defensive end. Pau Gasol ended up with a block average of 1.9 that season to couple with a defensive rating of 101.
Pau’s advanced stats during the 2014-15 campaign were impressive as well. He would finish with a total rebounding percentage of 18.6 percent and he even possessed a 10.4 win share. On top of all this, he also finished with a player efficiency rating of 22.7. All in all, Pau’s first season with the Chicago Bulls was an impressive one and it is time for people to stop overlooking his 2014-15 campaign.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images