Former Memphis Grizzlies Star Rudy Gay Retires After 17 Seasons in the NBA

Last night, Rudy Gay announced his retirement from basketball at the age of 38. His last NBA game came during the 2022-23 season, when he played for the Utah Jazz. Since then, the Golden State Warriors signed him last season. However, the franchise released him without giving him any game time. Rudy Gay retires from the game as one of the longest serving NBA players.

The 38-year-old announced his decision to retire in a heartfelt open letter on the Players’ Tribune. He wrote, “It wasn’t always all good. I could’ve done more or been better. But you know what? At the same time … in some cases, on some nights, the result was actually really cool. And the circle I formed, the moments I shared, the teammates and coaches I worked alongside with, made the ride worth every moment.” He added further, “I’m just feeling extremely grateful for all the love, wisdom, and friendship that I’ve experienced in the game of basketball. Eighteen years in the league. Learned from some of the best to ever do it.” 

Rudy Gay entered college basketball as a top recruit, earning McDonald’s All-American honors and playing two strong seasons with the Connecticut Huskies under the legendary Jim Calhoun. After his impressive college career, Gay was drafted eighth overall by the Houston Rockets in 2006, only to be traded immediately to the Memphis Grizzlies for Shane Battier. He wasted no time leaving his mark in the NBA, averaging 10.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, which landed him a spot on the 2006-07 All-Rookie team and a third-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting.  

Besides being an integral part of the grit-and-grind Grizzlies, Gay also represented San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz during his illustrious 17-year NBA career. Across 1,120 career games, Rudy Gay posted solid averages of 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He peaked during the 2014-15 season with the Sacramento Kings, when he averaged 21.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Notably, Gay was only one of four players to average 10 or more points per game between 2006 and 2021, alongside LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul. However, much of his career was spent on rebuilding teams, and the latter half was marked by a series of injuries that he had to fight through to stay in the NBA.  

While Rudy Gay has called it a time on his basketball career, he’s far from done. In his open letter on the Players’ Tribune, Gay hinted at a post-NBA gig. He wrote, “I’m 38 years old. That’s nowhere even near mid-career for most people’s professional lives. So, the way I see it, I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. I just need to figure out what exactly that means.” So, could we see Rudy Gay on the sidelines, coaching an NBA team, or will he transition into sports broadcasting like Shaq, Charles Barkley and many before him have done?