Rudy Gay announces retirement from NBA after 17 seasons

NBA veteran Rudy Gay has confirmed he is retiring from basketball after a storied career in the league.

The 38-year-old last played for the Utah Jazz in the 2022-2023 season. He signed a contract with the Golden State Warriors last summer, but was waived just before the season and has been a free agent since then.

Gay was selected with the No. 8 pick in the 2006 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets out of the University of Connecticut. A few weeks later he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.

He spent most of his 17-season career with the Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings.

The forward averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 1,120 career games (778 starts).

Gay announced the news in an article for the Players’ Tribune, admitting that his career didn’t go exactly as he would have liked.

‘My story, it is not a fairy tale. In the end, I would say it was… complicated,” he wrote. “Just in terms of how it all went down. The injuries were certainly not too bad. And for whatever reason, there were a number of times when I found myself with teams in situations that were just not ideal, or with teams that were dealing with some sort of internal turmoil.

‘It was of course difficult at those moments. And sometimes it almost felt like it was too much. But at this point? At the end of the line? I can’t be mad about those things forever, you know what I mean? Spending the rest of my life thinking about what-ifs? Being all pissed off, bitter and grumpy? So, be that guy? No thanks.

‘Those were the cards I was dealt. And I can honestly tell you that I did my best with those cards. I may not have been the best player in the world, but I really tried my best.

‘It wasn’t always all good. I could have done more or been better. But you know what? At the same time… in some cases, on some nights, the result was really cool. And the circle I formed, the moments I shared, the teammates and coaches I worked with made the ride worth every moment.”

More to follow.