Pau Gasol on the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, Representing Spain, and Why Team USA is Tough to Beat

**NOTE: We recorded before it was announced that A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will miss the World Cup due to health reasons.** This week on Bird’s Eye View, Sue Bird welcomes 2x NBA champion and FIBA icon Pau Gasol to kick off the start of the 2026 Women’s World Cup in Berlin, Germany. Pau played in the NBA for 18 years, most notably with the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, and is one of the most successful basketball players in Spain’s history. In 2006, he helped lead Spain to its first FIBA World Cup title and won MVP along the way. Since his retirement, Pau has been deeply committed to growing the women's global game. Pau talks about his favorite FIBA World Cup memories, Spain’s rising stars Awa Fam and Iyana Martin, and what it’s like to be battle-tested by the USA’s national team. Sue and Pau also dive into what makes a World Cup one of the most challenging tournaments to play in and what it means to represent their countries at such a high level of international competition. In “Sue’s View,” Sue explains how she put together this year’s Team USA roster and which countries pose the biggest threat to Team USA bringing home its fifth consecutive gold medal. Bird’s Eye View is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA and TOGETHXR. Follow Sue on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sbird10/   Follow Sue on X: https://x.com/s10bird   Follow Bird’s Eye View on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdseyeviewpod/  Follow Bird’s Eye View on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@birdseyeviewpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices