Pau Gasol and Cat McDonnell have joyful news to share. The couple has just announced the birth of their third child, a baby girl they have named Olivia. They shared the news on social media with a photo of the newborn and a sweet family video introducing their newest addition. It shows each of their hands and ends with the tiny hands of the baby girl. Alongside the post, they shared an emotional message: “Grateful to have 10 more tiny toes to love. We love you, baby sister! ¡Te queremos! T’estimem! Olivia.”
True to the discretion that has always defined their private life, the couple did not reveal further details about the baby. She is their third child, and with her arrival they are now a family of five. Pau and Cat are already parents to two children: Elisabet Gianna, born in 2021 and named in honor of Kobe Bryant’s daughter, whom everyone lovingly called Ellie, and Max, who was born two years later.
Along with the love from their followers, Pau and Cat have received many congratulations from friends and well-known figures. Among them was former Spain national team teammate José Manuel Calderón, who wrote a warm “Congratulations, family!” Natalia Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s daughter and very close to the couple, shared a heartfelt “Love you guys so much.” Swimmer Ona Carbonell, a close friend of the couple, also joined in with a warm “Congratulations.” The flood of messages reflects the deep affection people feel for the Gasol McDonnell family.
Their love story and a life between two continents
Little Olivia's arrival completes the love story of Pau Gasol and Cat McDonnell. They were married on July 7, 2019, in an intimate ceremony in San Francisco, the city where they were living at the time and where Cat was building her career in the financial sector. Since then, their life has unfolded between the United States and Spain, always with family at the center.
The couple bought a house in Sant Gervasi, one of Barcelona's most upscale neighborhoods, in 2023, solidifying their Spanish ties even more. A year later, in 2024, they celebrated a second ceremony in the Empordà, a symbolic gesture to share their union with loved ones in Spain.
Pau Gasol’s new life after basketball
Since officially retiring from basketball in 2021, Pau Gasol has not completely stepped away from the world of sports. He is now focused on his family and has often said he prefers a quiet life, surrounded by his closest circle, enjoying simple things and, above all, his children. “Happiness is not in trophies or recognition, but in the little things,” he said in one of his most heartfelt statements, making clear the shift in priorities that defines this new chapter.
Even so, he divides his time between his commitments with the IOC and international sport, his foundation, and various business initiatives. Pau has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 2021 and is actively involved in projects focused on athlete well-being and the promotion of grassroots sport. His presence at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, accompanied by his family, reflected his more institutional public role, which he approaches with the calm and balance he seeks in his current life.
Alongside his brother Marc, he continues to lead the Gasol Foundation, created in 2013 and dedicated to fighting childhood obesity, promoting healthy lifestyle habits, and encouraging sports participation among young people. The foundation also works on children’s emotional well-being, an area Pau considers essential. His concern for health, both physical and mental, has led him to take part in various awareness campaigns, especially at a time when younger generations face increasingly complex challenges. This project has become one of the pillars of his life after retirement. He is also involved in business ventures linked to sport, technology, and health.
With the arrival of little Olivia, the Gasol McDonnell family is now beginning a new chapter. Her birth has brought happiness to everyone, a joy that the former athlete and his wife wanted to share with their followers.