Two in one
In September, Spain defeated Argentina 95-75 in the final of the FIBA Basketball World Cup that was held in China to win the title for only the second time.
Sergio Rodriguez, Serge Ibaka, Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol are all stalwarts when it comes to playing basketball for Spain, but none of them were part of the Spanish squad in China. But no team in the 32-team competition coped better with their high-profile absentees than Spain, as they moved from strength to strength.
In the end, there was not only a collective victory for Spain, but also an individual highlight for one of them. For Marc Gasol achieved something that only one other person before him has ever done. Before we look at that record, it is important to understand the competitions where it took place: World Cup and NBA (click to expand):
Throughout the history of the FIBA Basketball World Cup and the NBA, there have been only two players who have won both the titles in the same year: Lamar Odom and Marc Gasol. (click to expand)
Based on what you have read, answer the following questions:
Photo: AP