Pau Gasol will sit out of 2013 FIBA European Championships

As he begins rehabbing from a procedure that reduced the tendonosis in both of his knees, Lakers forward Pau Gasol has immediately penciled himself out of the Spanish National team during the FIBA European Championship taking place Sept. 4-22 in Slovenia.

“My priority aim is to recover myself [of] next season [with the Lakers],” Gasol said on his personal website. in the next season and to be ready, if I’m asked to, for the next challenge with the national team, the World Cup of Spain 2014.”

The Lakers expect Gasol to stay sidelined at least for 11 more weeks before participating in basketball-related drills. He underwent the so-called “Fast Technique” procedure Thursday, involving a probe going into both of his knees to eliminate scar tissue without damaging the healthy tissue. Gasol missed 33 games due to various ailments, including knee tendinitis that sidelined him for eight contests in early December. Gasol, who’s slated to earn $19.3 million in the final year of his contract, averaged last season a career-low 13.7 points on 46.6 percent shooting and 8.6 rebounds.

Gasol led Spain to a silver medal after losing to Team USA in the final of both the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He also guided Spain to three gold medals (2006 FIBA World Cup, 2009 and 2011 FIBA European Championships), two silvers (2003 and 2007 European Championships) and one bronze (2001 European Championship). Gasol last sat out of competition with the Spanish national team in the 2010 FIBA World Championships where it finished in sixth place, opting for rest because of fatigue and injury concerns.

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