When Marc Gasol returned to Girona twelve years ago to launch his basketball school, few could have imagined how far that initial step would take the project. Time, however, has proven him right. What began as a modest foundation has grown through patience into a solid structure now competing at the elite level.
This week brought new proof of that progress. In the form of an award, yet still another milestone on the path, Bàsquet Girona secured its first-ever qualification for the Spanish Championships in the junior category. Achieved by the U18 team coached by Xavi Rosselló, the accomplishment confirms that the foundation is no longer merely a future prospect but a competitive reality.
In parallel, the U22 team, largely composed of players developed within the club, will compete in playoffs aiming for the title of the new league driven by the ACB. It is a significant achievement, but above all, it is not accidental.
The debuts at the first-team level of players like Khory Brunot, Enric Sanmartín, and Izan Soler reinforce this sense of a solid structure providing continuity. For the first time since the project’s inception, the bridge between youth basketball and professional basketball is not a fantasy but a real pathway. The club has built a structure allowing talent to grow at home and find its way to the highest level.
Yet this present also has a less visible side. Because if today the path is clearer, it is only because before it was not. There is a generation of players who followed the same journey, or even a better one, but with the necessity to leave the nest to continue growing. Names like Adrià Moncanut and Víctor Muñoz, protagonists of one of the club’s best junior generations, now compete away from the spotlight, in Segunda FEB. They perform at a high level, but without having been able to enjoy a context as favorable as the current one for making the leap.
Marc Gasol, who serves as president of Bàsquet Girona, returned to his hometown after a distinguished NBA career that included stints with the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, and Los Angeles Lakers. His older brother Pau Gasol holds the position of vice-president at the club. Founded in 2014 as Club Escola Bàsquet Marc Gasol, the organization initially competed only in youth categories before adding the city name and eventually becoming simply Bàsquet Girona in 2017.
The club earned promotion to Liga ACB for the first time in its history in June 2022, defeating Movistar Estudiantes in the LEB Oro playoff final. Home games are played at the Fontajau arena, which has a capacity of 5,200 spectators. The team colors are red and white.
As Bàsquet Girona continues to develop its youth pipeline while competing in Spain’s top professional league, the organization represents a rare model of sustainable growth in European basketball. The realization of Marc Gasol’s vision demonstrates that with patience and structural investment, a club can successfully bridge the gap between development and elite competition.
The next confirmed checkpoint for Bàsquet Girona is its upcoming Liga ACB match, with details to be announced through official club channels. Fans can follow updates via the team’s website and social media platforms for the latest news on fixtures, results, and youth team progress.
Share your thoughts on Bàsquet Girona’s journey and what it means for the future of basketball development in Spain.
