Pau Gasol suffered what injury during the 2006 FIBA World Championships?

Pau Gasol suffered a broken foot during the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

Gasol injured his left foot near the end of Spain’s semifinal victory over Argentina in Saitama, Japan. The injury forced him to miss the championship game against Greece, although Spain won the final and captured its first FIBA World Championship title.

The injury had consequences beyond the tournament. Gasol missed the beginning of the 2006–07 NBA season and was sidelined for the Memphis Grizzlies’ first 23 games. Despite not playing in the final, he was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for his overall performance.

The incident is sometimes simplified as an ankle injury or described merely as a foot problem, but contemporary reports and later biographies identify it as a broken foot. Spain’s victory was especially notable because it came without its leading star on the court for the decisive game.