Spain's gold medal hopes at September's European Championships look to be hanging in the balance with Pau Gasol uncertain if he will play again this season.

The Memphis Grizzlies power forward, Spain's top player in recent years, has not played since January 22 because of a foot injury and he admits surgery could sideline him for the remainder of the NBA campaign.

The 2.15m star told his basketball fans on his official website that he had been consulting with doctors after recent tests and that his foot problems may be a result of a previous injury.

Gasol said: "We have not reached a final conclusion and before I take any decision, I will ask for a second opinion. I also want to speak to Spanish doctors.

		“	If the worst prognosis is confirmed Memphis will demand that I not be with the national team	„
		Pau Gasol

"After that, we will decide if I will undergo an operation or not. What is clear is that if I have to undergo surgery, my presence in the European Championships in Belgrade will be uncertain.

"If the worst prognosis is confirmed and I miss the remainder of the season, Memphis will want me to start the season with them and therefore, they will demand that I not be with the national team as I begin the new contract that I signed for six seasons."

Gasol has been an outstanding player in the NBA for Memphis, helping them to reach the play-offs for the first time in franchise history last year after leading Spain to a silver medal at Eurobasket 2003 when he averaged 25.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game.

His performances last summer at the Olympics were among the best in the men's competition, although his team bowed out of medal contention in the quarter-finals after losing to Team USA.

Spain are one of the European countries with tremendous depth, but there is no one waiting in the wings with Gasol's talent.

		Pau Gasol was the leading scorer at Eurobasket 2003 with 25.8 ppg

He says the mental strain of waiting is almost as bad as the injury itself.

"I cannot hide it," he said. "I am struggling. I have been inactive and it's frustrating because I cannot train and I don't know when I will return, which mentally is the most frustrating thing.

"I would almost say I leave it up to God."

"One of the options that is being considered is for me to start playing and see what happens. I have never really felt that bad, only at the beginning but the fissure has never hurt me.

"If the bone does not close, we will go step by step, starting to run in the swimming pool and eventually on the court.

"If it doesn't hurt, I will continue to do things although I will still have to recover my physical form. I hope the results will give me some hope and I don't have to force my foot."

As for an operation, Gasol said: "You never know what is the best thing, if it's better to wait and hope that the bone heals or to undergo surgery.

"(Memphis president) Jerry West and the owner of the Memphis Grizzlies have told me to be patient so that it doesn't get worse as it would it be worse for my career.

"In the hypothetical case that I don't play this season, they want me to fully recover."