Gay announces retirement after 17 seasons

Rudy Gay is calling it career after 17 seasons and stints with five different teams.
Gay announced his retirement in an open letter he wrote on The Player’s Tribune, saying that he feels like “the luckiest guy in the world” for his accomplishments on the court but had to accept the reality that it was time retire.
“I’m just feeling extremely grateful for all the love, wisdom, and friendship that I’ve experienced in the game of basketball,” wrote Gay. “Eighteen years in the league. Learned from some of the best to ever do it.”
Gay, 38, last played in the league for the Utah Jazz in 2022-23. He signed with the Golden State Warriors in September 2023 but was waived before the start of last season.
Gay was selected by the Houston Rockets with the eighth overall pick in the 2006 Draft, who promptly traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies for Shane Battier. He averaged 10.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, earning a spot on the 2006-07 All-Rookie team and finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting.

A quiet leader, Gay averaged 15.8 ppg and 5.6 rpg in 1,120 career games, with a high of 21.1 ppg in 2014-15 with the Sacramento Kings. He spent much of his career bouncing between teams that were rebuilding, and through the second half of his career battled several injuries.
Gay also represented the U.S. twice at the FIBA World Cup, helping the Americans capture gold in 2010 and 2014.
A highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, Gay was a McDonald’s All-American and played two seasons for the Connecticut Huskies (2004-06) under Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun.