MADRID, 18 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Spar Girona’s Spanish point guard Laia Palau announced on Wednesday her retirement from professional basketball at the age of 42, with an extensive track record of 33 titles and as the player who has worn the Spanish team shirt the most times.
The player announced her decision at a press conference and insisted that she does not want to talk about “withdrawal”, but rather “stop playing basketball”. “When I arrived at Uni Girona four years ago I thought I was coming home and I wasn’t wrong,” she said in a video shared by the club on social media.
Laia Palau ends her successful career with 556 games played in the Endesa Women’s League, being the second player in history with the most games behind Noemi Jordana, who reached 572. Her journey through the top flight ended with 7 titles league games, one with Universitari de Barcelona (03/02), five with Ros Casares (07/06, 08/07, 08/089, 10/09 and 11/10) and one with Spar Girona (19/18). ). She also won five Super Cups (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2019) and five Queen’s Cups (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2021).
Trophies achieved from the group that are supported by her great individual contribution that allow her to finish her career as the second best assistant in the history of the competition with a total of 1,753 basket passes. Palau is also the ninth all-time leading scorer with 3,928 points.
The Spanish base has played for three Spanish teams. The first was the Universitari de Barcelona (1997-2004), where he had his first experiences in the national basketball elite. His next stop was Ros Casares (2006-2012), the club with which he lifted the Euroleague in the 11/12 season, the last experience being Spar Girona. In addition, he went through Bourges Basket, CCC Polkowice and USK Prague, with whom he picked up his second Euroleague.
Palau retired from the national team in November last year, putting an end to 19 successful years defending the colors of Spain. His international debut was on the preparation tour for the 2002 World Cup in China and since that day, Palau has collected three European gold medals (2013, 2017 and 2019), three silver medals (2016 Rio Olympics, 2014 World Cup and EuroBasket 2007). and six bronzes (two world and four European).
Her legend extends to the Olympic Games and is that she is the oldest player in history to play an Olympic match. In addition, she has four participations in Games: Athens 2004, London 2002, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
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