MADRID, August 11, 2009 (AFP) - Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol broke a finger of his left hand during a practice with the Spanish national team and will be sidelined for three weeks, Spain's basketball federation said Tuesday.

He suffered the injury when he attempted to block a shot during a practice on Monday in the southern city of Cadiz and he was taken to a Seville hospital where he underwent surgery to treat ligament damage.

"The player must wait between twelve and fourteen days for the removal of the stitches and a total of twenty with a splint on his finger. After those twenty days he can touch the ball with some form of protection," the federation said.

Gasol, who helped the Lakers win the NBA championship last season, said he would do all he could to recover in time for the September 7-20 EuroBasket tournament in Poland.

"I want to be with my teammates and fight for the championship. I don't see why I should leave the squad," the 28-year-old told a news conference where he appeared with his injured hand in a sling.

World champions Spain were runners-up to Russia in the last Eurobasket finals held in Madrid in 2007.