Pablo Laso

Pablo Laso Biurrun (born 13 October 1967) is a Spanish professional basketball coach and former player who is the current head coach for Saski Baskonia of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He was the head coach of Real Madrid for eleven seasons from 2011 to 2022, guiding them to two EuroLeague championships and six ACB titles. As a player, he was a prominent point guard in Spain and Italy.

Professional playing career

Club career

Laso played 17,378 minutes (4th most) in 624 games (9th most) in the Liga ACB (the top-tier level Spanish League). He holds the ACB records for most career assists (2,896) and most career steals (1,219).

He won the 1995 edition of the Spanish Cup, and won the Most Valuable Player award of the tournament. He also won the championship of the FIBA Saporta Cup's 1996–97 season.

National team career

Laso played in 61 games with the senior Spanish national team. He played at the EuroBasket 1989, the 1994 FIBA World Championship, and the EuroBasket 1995.

Professional coaching career

In 2008, Laso led Bruesa GBC, to achieve a league promotion to the Spanish top-tier level Liga ACB

Laso led Real Madrid to win the EuroLeague championships of the 2014–15 season, and the 2017–18 season. He also led Real Madrid to win 6 Spanish League championships (2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022), 5 Spanish Cups (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020), and 6 Spanish Supercups (2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020).

Laso also led Real Madrid to win the championship of the 2015 edition of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.

During the 2014 ACB Playoffs Real Madrid played a rematch of the 2014 Euroleague Final Four semifinal against FC Barcelona Bàsquet. Laso suffered an Achilles tendon rupture after Madrid's loss in the first game of the series. The coach chose to coach Game 2 on crutches, which resulted in a Madrid victory. Laso opted for surgery and returned to Real's sideline in a wheelchair in game 4. The coach would be ejected from the game by referees early in the second half and was wheeled from the arena escorted by security. Barcelona would go on to win the ACB championship 3-1.

In July 2022, Madrid parted ways with Laso for medical reasons. He had suffered a heart attack during the 2022 ACB Playoffs that forced him to stay in the hospital for two days. Real had consulted doctors and cardiologists who said it would be a risk for Laso's health if he continued his job as head coach.

On June 12, 2023, he signed with FC Bayern Munich of the German Basketball Bundesliga.

On June 28, 2024, he signed with Saski Baskonia of the Spanish Liga ACB.

Head coaching record

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the team played during the season. He also coached in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

EuroLeague

Honours

As player

• Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup): (1)
  • 1995
• FIBA Saporta Cup: (1)
  • 1997

As head coach

• Liga ACB (Spanish League): (6)
  • 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022
• Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup): (6)
  • 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020
• Supercopa de España de Baloncesto (Spanish Supercup): (6)
  • 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020
• Basketball Bundesliga (German League): (1)
  • 2024
• BBL-Pokal (German Cup): (1)
  • 2024
• EuroLeague: (2)
  • 2015, 2018
• FIBA Intercontinental Cup: (1)
  • 2015

See also

• List of EuroLeague-winning head coaches

References

External links

• Pablo Laso at acb.com (in Spanish)
• Pablo Laso at euroleague.net
• Pablo Laso Biurrun at FIBA
• Pablo Laso on X