Rudy Gay, a renowned player in the NBA, has made a name for himself with his outstanding performances throughout his career. He was drafted eighth overall in the 2006 NBA draft. In his rookie season, he was named NBA Rookie of the Month for November 2006 and managed to place himself on the 2006-07 All-Rookie First Team. He showcased consistency by finishing fourth among rookies in scoring and taking significant positions in rebounding, steals, blocks, and minutes.
Gay made a Grizzlies franchise record for most points in a single season (1632) during his second season in 2007-08. He became only the third player in the team’s history to reach that record with a scoring average of 20.1 points. However, his career was not without challenges, in 2010-11 even though he had career highs in multiple categories he missed crucial games and the 2011 Playoffs due to a shoulder injury.
Most points by an active non-All-Star:
17,642 — Rudy Gay
14,088 — Thaddeus Young
13,732 — Jeff Green
13,398 — Tobias Harris pic.twitter.com/tYNxdK9Sy9— StatMuse (@statmuse) September 7, 2023
Over the years, Gay led his team multiple times in scoring and set various career highs. For example, in the 2014-15 season with the Kings, Gay averaged an impressive 21.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists over 68 games. Unfortunately, he missed the entire 2016-17 season due to a complete rupture of his left Achilles tendon.
Which teams has Rudy Gay played for?
Rudy Gay started his NBA journey with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he played from 2006 to 2013. Gay showed incredible potential while playing for the Grizzlies, breaking multiple records and becoming one of the key players of the team. In 2013, he was moved to the Toronto Raptors, ending his seven-year stint with the Grizzlies. There he made a name for himself right away by scoring 74 points in his first three games, a Raptors record.
His time in Toronto was short as he moved to the Sacramento Kings in December 2013. During his four-year tenure with the Kings, Gay put up consistent performances, including tying his career-high 41 points in a match against the New Orleans Pelicans. Following his leg injury in 2017, he signed with the San Antonio Spurs. Then for the next four years, he had consistent plays, including a season-high 31-point game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Golden State Warriors are releasing Rudy Gay and Rodney McGruder, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater. This trims Warriors’ standard deals to 13 players, giving extra roster/financial flexibility, and they will add the 14th spot within first two weeks of season. pic.twitter.com/tWRPSrFpYH
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 21, 2023