17-year vet Rudy Gay announces his NBA retirement: ‘I’m the luckiest man’

Even though Rudy Gay was eyeing a potential return to the NBA before the start of this season, it seems like he’s finally decided to hang up his basketball shoes for good as no team decided to pick him up. Despite this, the player announced his retirement by saying he feels extremely lucky for the career and family he has around him. 

After 17 years in the sport’s biggest stage, the veteran has no regrets in his decision. This Tuesday morning, the 38-year-old published an article for The Players Tribune in which he expresses the reasons behind this step, as well as a lot of anecdotes and gratitude.

“I needed to humble myself and be like: ‘Look, this is over,’ wrote Gay, who last played in the 2022-23 campaign for the Utah Jazz. “But actually coming to grips with it being over, that’s … a process. One I’m honestly still dealing with, and struggle with at times.”

I’m 38 years old.

I’ve had an 18 year career in the NBA.

It’s time to hang it up. Thank you for everything — it’s all love. @PlayersTribune https://t.co/GOEjp3rolL

— Rudy Gay (@RudyGay) October 29, 2024

The player had signed a deal with the Warriors afterwards, but was waived shortly after. “I’ll still be watching games and see some of these guys missing a pass or fumbling the ball out of bounds, and I absolutely am that dude yelling at the TV like: “I’m better than that clown. Are you kidding me?!?!? It’s not pretty.

“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,” he assured. “In the meantime, I’m just feeling extremely grateful for all the love, wisdom, and friendship that I’ve experienced in the game of basketball.”

It all started for Rudy at the University of Connecticut, where after a successful college career he was selected with the 8th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. However, just a few weeks later he was traded off to Memphis, where he began his professional career.

He then spent the best years of his career representing both the Grizzlies and the Sacramento Kings, and averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds by the time he stopped playing, which was after 1,120 career matches and 778 starts.

Just a month ago, Gay was eyeing a potential return to the NBA but failed to reach a negotiation with any franchise before the start of the current season

Reflecting on his 17-year career, he said last month “Basketball is a tough sport. It’s a very mental sport. It’s going young, but I still think there’s value in having vets.” Gay tried his best to attract attention to NBA teams, but their disinterest simply proved that his time in the big leagues was over.

“Eighteen years in the league. Learned from some of the best to ever do it. Made some incredible lifelong friends. Feeling good. Healthy. Inspired. Have a family that loves me, and who I love more than anything,” he said in his announcement. “I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

Nevertheless, the athlete who also represented both the Jazz and the Toronto Raptors, admits he will continue to enjoy the NBA and comment on the most important situations. One of them, for example, was how he showed support to LeBron James for helping his own son to grow as a professional player.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people about it,” Rudy said not too long ago about Bronny’s rapid growth in the NBA. “And I see no problem with it, man. I mean, who doesn’t want to help their kids out?”