Rudy Gay

[Matrim55]

Quietly having the best year of his career IMO.



Put up 21 points/6 rebounds/3 assists/2 steals/1 block on 8-for-10 FG, 1/2 3fg, 4/4 ft tonight as the Spurs beat the Clippers to climb above .500 for the first time all year. He's averaging 14/7/2 on 51/49/83 shooting splits, and the advanced stats love him as well.

The big difference is obviously his role – he's the clear third option and plays a bunch of his minutes as a smallball 4. It suits him, and honestly if he came into the league today he'd be 25% better than he was 10 years ago.

The other big difference is playing for Pop. He's iso'ing waaaaaay less and so a higher % of his shots come off of assists. Because of that he's at or near career-high percentages from midrange, long 2s and behind the arc.

Really, really happy for him. Hopefully he has 3 or 4 good years left and gets himself a ring.

 

[intlzncster]

Quietly having the best year of his career IMO.



Put up 21 points/6 rebounds/3 assists/2 steals/1 block on 8-for-10 FG, 1/2 3fg, 4/4 ft tonight as the Spurs beat the Clippers to climb above .500 for the first time all year. He's averaging 14/7/2 on 51/49/83 shooting splits, and the advanced stats love him as well.

The big difference is obviously his role – he's the clear third option and plays a bunch of his minutes as a smallball 4. It suits him, and honestly if he came into the league today he'd be 25% better than he was 10 years ago.

The other big difference is playing for Pop. He's iso'ing waaaaaay less and so a higher % of his shots come off of assists. Because of that he's at or near career-high percentages from midrange, long 2s and behind the arc.

Really, really happy for him. Hopefully he has 3 or 4 good years left and gets himself a ring.

Rudy is one of the most underrated Husky's ever. It's funny saying that about a 1st team All American, but I feel that way. I just said recently in another post, people still say 'lazy' or 'didn't really care' or 'unengaged' or 'under performed' or what have you.

 

[Travelman6]

Rudy is one of the most underrated Husky's ever. It's funny saying that about a 1st team All American, but I feel that way. I just said recently in another post, people still say 'lazy' or 'didn't really care' or 'unengaged' or 'under performed' or what have you.

Because he was on that 2006 team. I think the most talented UConn team not to make a final four along with 1996 Ray 32-3 team but that 96 team did not underperform and sleepwalk as much as 2006 (remember being down to 16 seeded Vermont by 12 with 10 to go?) In fact that 2006 team was probably be top 20 most talented not to make a FF in college hoops history..dear I say top 10 for raw talent? That team left a sour taste in many fans mouths...sooooo much potential, could have at least made the championship game...ppl sometimes forget just how talented 2006 was.

 

[superjohn]

Rudy is one of the most underrated Husky's ever. It's funny saying that about a 1st team All American, but I feel that way. I just said recently in another post, people still say 'lazy' or 'didn't really care' or 'unengaged' or 'under performed' or what have you.

A lot of that is Rudy being a prisoner of his own talent and the expectations we put on him. Rudy is the best basketball athlete ever at UConn, IMO. He is the most graceful player we've had but could also be incredibly explosive, he has perfect form on his jumper, he has amazing length, he basically has every physical thing you ever look for in a basketball player. Because of all of this I think some of us were expecting him to turn into a T-Mac or Vince Carter and it just never happened for him. He's had a very good NBA career and should be talked about more here, he's hardly ever mentioned.

 

[Husky68]

"They" were disappointed he wasn't more Durant like, a tough comparison if you aren't Michael or Lebron. Would have been nice if he could have been on the Spurs his whole career, might be talking about him as a multiple rings guy and one of the "Robins" (like Ginobili and Parker) to Duncan's Batman.

 

[AdamaNation]

Because he was on that 2006 team. I think the most talented UConn team not to make a final four along with 1996 Ray 32-3 team but that 96 team did not underperform and sleepwalk as much as 2006 (remember being down to 16 seeded Vermont by 12 with 10 to go?) In fact that 2006 team was probably be top 20 most talented not to make a FF in college hoops history..dear I say top 10 for raw talent? That team left a sour taste in many fans mouths...sooooo much potential, could have at least made the championship game...ppl sometimes forget just how talented 2006 was.

Thank you but there isn’t a single fan who is not well aware of how talented the GAT DANG $&@&!? Team was. I started eating paint chips that day.

 

[husky8273]

it still hurts:
George Mason -Their Elite Eight matchup found themselves facing the Connecticut Huskies, a team that was tabbed as the favorite to win the national championship the entire season. The Patriots were able to defeat the top-seeded Huskies, 86–84 in overtime, in what is recognized as one of the most memorable games in tournament history. Their tournament run would end in Indianapolis, in a Final Four matchup with the Florida Gators, the eventual national champion in both 2006 and 2007 (with the same starting lineup both years).

 

[Mr. French]

Because he was on that 2006 team. I think the most talented UConn team not to make a final four along with 1996 Ray 32-3 team but that 96 team did not underperform and sleepwalk as much as 2006 (remember being down to 16 seeded Vermont by 12 with 10 to go?) In fact that 2006 team was probably be top 20 most talented not to make a FF in college hoops history..dear I say top 10 for raw talent? That team left a sour taste in many fans mouths...sooooo much potential, could have at least made the championship game...ppl sometimes forget just how talented 2006 was.

Albany, down 12 with 10-11 minutes to go, off memory?

Your post is spot on though.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Quietly having the best year of his career IMO.



Put up 21 points/6 rebounds/3 assists/2 steals/1 block on 8-for-10 FG, 1/2 3fg, 4/4 ft tonight as the Spurs beat the Clippers to climb above .500 for the first time all year. He's averaging 14/7/2 on 51/49/83 shooting splits, and the advanced stats love him as well.

The big difference is obviously his role – he's the clear third option and plays a bunch of his minutes as a smallball 4. It suits him, and honestly if he came into the league today he'd be 25% better than he was 10 years ago.

The other big difference is playing for Pop. He's iso'ing waaaaaay less and so a higher % of his shots come off of assists. Because of that he's at or near career-high percentages from midrange, long 2s and behind the arc.

Really, really happy for him. Hopefully he has 3 or 4 good years left and gets himself a ring.

Thanks for this post and to others for their comments. I'm completely guilty as to shorthanding Rudy as a disappointment. This thread proves out my, "I'd rather be wrong" sentiment.

 

[UConnRock]

Hard to believe that Rudy is only 32 years old. He was such a young kid at UConn. He was gone before he turned 20. Kids who do a year of prep after high school are close to the same age as incoming freshman as Rudy was as an outgoing sophomore. I agree with a previous post that playing for Popovich will extend his career for several more years. He took less money to go to the Spurs and that was probably a smart move.

 

[Lefty2one]

I don't think it had too much to do with him being on the 2006 team though it certainly played a role. Fans were upset because he wasn't Ray Allen, Rip, or even Ben Gordon while he was in Storrs. He would have been if he stayed for his junior season but we never got to see it. He was a very good college player but he wasn't dominant like the legends who preceded him. Plus, when everyone saw his eye-popping athleticism combined with his skills, expectations were sky-high.

 

[MSGSeven]

F'in Rudy Gay man!

 

[intlzncster]

Because of all of this I think some of us were expecting him to turn into a T-Mac or Vince Carter and it just never happened for him. He's had a very good NBA career and should be talked about more here, he's hardly ever mentioned.

Exactly. And like I said, he was a 1st team AA here to boot.

 

[intlzncster]

Hard to believe that Rudy is only 32 years old. He was such a young kid at UConn. He was gone before he turned 20. Kids who do a year of prep after high school are close to the same age as incoming freshman as Rudy was as an outgoing sophomore. I agree with a previous post that playing for Popovich will extend his career for several more years. He took less money to go to the Spurs and that was probably a smart move.

Rudy even wanted to come back (should get kudos for that), but JC pushed him out the door (should get kudos for that too) cause he was gonna be a lotto pick.

JC actively made the team worse, and made Rudy make a choice he didn't want to make, for the betterment of the kid.

 

[husky429]

He's made 134 million playing a game. No one should feel bad for him. He's set for life and will retire before 40.