Rudy Gay
 Gay (right) with UConn coach Jim Calhoun | |
| Memphis Grizzlies | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard/Small forward |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 17, 1986 Baltimore, Maryland |
| Nationality | USA |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Archbishop Spalding High School |
| College | UConn |
| NBA draft | 2006: 8th overall |
| Selected by the Houston Rockets | |
| Playing career | 2006–present |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. (born August 17, 1986 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American professional basketball player currently with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. Gay played collegiately at the University of Connecticut.
Early life
 | Template:Wikify is deprecated. Please use a more specific cleanup template as listed in the documentation. |
Rudy began playing AAU basketball at 12 years old with the New Shiloh Hoyas of Turner Station, that was based in the Nubian Church Youth Basketball League (NCYB), one of the toughest youth basketball leagues in the area.
With New Shiloh, Rudy played in the Tom Jones Youth Summer League in Washington, DC against top AAU and Boys Club Teams. This is where his natural abilities began to separate him from most 12 and 13 year olds.
During the spring of his 8th grade year, Rudy and a teammate Scott Dozier were highly sought after by several private and magnet schools in the Baltimore area. Both players enrolled at Eastern Tech High School in Baltimore County, and at St. Paul's School for Boy's. During the summer of their eighth grade year, both players attended summer sessions at St. Paul's. Scott Dozier remained and Rudy decided to attend Eastern Tech.
Rudy began playing for the Cecil-Kirk AAU program under Coach Anthony Lewis.
High school career
Rudy played his first two years at Baltimore County's Eastern Technical High School, a magnet school in Essex. He played varsity basketball both years.
Although Eastern Tech was a Blue Ribbon academic institution, Rudy's parents were concerned about his college preparation and during the summer of his sophomore year solicited help from Coach Collins who suggested several private schools, to include Archbishop Spalding High School.
After reviewing each schools long term academic curriculum, it was decided that Rudy would attend Spalding. Rudy began playing for Spalding his Junior and senior years.
He was one of the top recruits entering college play after attending Archbishop Spalding High School where he was 1st team All-Baltimore Catholic League honors as a junior and senior, and was also honored as the Baltimore Sun's co-player of the year. He was a McDonald's All-American, and a Parade First Team All-American in his senior year after averaging 21.2 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks.[1]
College career
He was often regarded as the most talented player in college basketball[citation needed]. Throughout his college career, Gay was known for his high-flying dunks and ability to do everything on the court. He was a co-winner (with Jeff Green of Georgetown University) of the 2005 Big East Conference Freshman of the Year award. Rudy was also named the National Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News.
In the summer of 2005, Gay was invited to play for the USA's Men's Under-21 World Championship Team. He performed well, posting one double-double while averaging 10.5 points a game and 5.5 rebounds.
Before his sophomore season began, Gay was nominated as Big East Preseason player of the year, along with Syracuse star, Gerry McNamara. After the season concluded, Gay was one of four division one college players nominated for the Naismith Player of the Year Award (along with J. J. Redick, Adam Morrison, and Allan Ray). Also, he was a unanimous selection to the Big East's First Team. He tallied his career high in points with 28 versus Arkansas in the second game of the 2005-2006 season. Gay led the UConn Huskies to a 30-3 record, often the highest scorer, before losing to #11 seed George Mason in overtime, 86-84.
NBA career
Draft
Gay, widely regarded as one of the top future NBA prospects, announced on April 17 that he would enter the 2006 NBA Draft.[2] He was selected with the 8th overall pick in the draft by the Houston Rockets. Gay was disappointed since he was picked later than expected and thus said, "I'm going to make every one of the teams pay that passed on me." [citation needed]
Despite his drop in draft position, many teams still coveted him. Memphis Grizzlies' President of Basketball Operations Jerry West swung a deal to send Shane Battier to the Rockets for the rights to Gay and Stromile Swift to the Grizzlies.
Statistics
- 2003-2004 (High School Senior)
- 21.2 Points Per Game
- 9.2 Rebounds Per Game
- 3.7 Blocks Per Game
- 2004-2005 (UCONN Freshman)
- 11.8 Points Per Game
- 5.4 Rebounds Per Game
- 1.5 Assists Per Game
- 1.9 Blocks Per Game
- 2005-2006 (UCONN Sophomore)
- 15.2 Points Per Game
- 6.4 Rebounds Per Game
- 2.1 Assists Per Game
- 1.6 Blocks Per Game
- 2006-2007 (NBA Rookie)
- 10.8 Points Per Game
- 4.5 Rebounds Per Game
- 1.3 Assists Per Game
- 0.9 Blocks Per Game
References
- ^ O'Shea, Michael (April 4, 2004). "Meet PARADE's All-America High School Boys Basketball Team". Parade. Retrieved 2007-07-06.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Gay to leave UConn for NBA draft". ESPN.com. April 17, 2006. Retrieved 2007-07-06.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)