Pau Gasol on Magic Johnson Award: 'I just try to be helpful'

If anyone needed evidence as to why Pau Gasol was given the Magic Johnson Award on Wednesday, his comments immediately following the announcement paint a good picture.

The award is given by the Professional Basketball Writers Association annually to recognize the player who best combines on-court excellence with cooperation and dignity in dealing with the media and the larger public. Gasol was named the 2014-15 recipient Wednesday, beating out Steph Curry, LeBron James, Manu Ginobili and Damian Lillard.

It's obvious how the Chicago Bulls big man fulfilled the on-court criteria - at age 34, Gasol averaged 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 blocks while shooting 49.4 percent from the floor, his best numbers in several years.

Off the court, Gasol is always a thoughtful quote. That willingness to help stems from a respect for the job others are doing, as he explained to The Chicago Tribune on Wednesday:

I just try to be helpful. I try to help other people do their jobs well. I understand my position and that this is a part of our jobs. So I always try to be kind and polite, even when I'm not feeling great or I might be upset because of the loss. I understand that it's still part of my job to be one of the team's leaders and role models to stand up and share my thoughts when I need.

It's easy to be friendly. It's easy to be kind. It rubs off on people, so you want to balance out the negatives in the world with some positives. So that's what I try to do.
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We're all human, we're not all the same. But you have to understand that people are just trying to do their jobs and you guys are a big part of our success and that's why all the news gets to people and people follow us and the sport is as big as it is. So the more coverage, the more attention, the better it is for the sport. 

That right there is why Gasol is so beloved around the league, and why he's the 2014-15 winner of the award. He joins quite a list of well-liked players to win the award: