The first non-American basketball player who won the NBA Rookie of the Year is Pau Gasol, who had a long career with the Los Angeles Lakers, among other teams. Born in Barcelona, Spain, this Spaniard created a remarkable career in basketball, not just in NBA, but in the international arena with the Spanish National Basketball Team. Gasol started a medical school at the University of Barcelona, which is one of the top 100 medical schools around the world. Later, he quit because of his basketball career with FC Barcelona. He became a UNICEF ambassador in 2003 and worked on different social and charity works globally, receiving multiple awards. Among these recognitions are the 2010 Charitable Athlete Prize and 2019 UNICEF Global Champion for Nutrition and Zero Childhood Obesity. He also co-founded Gasol Foundation with his brother Marc Gasol in 2013.