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“This really was an easy choice for me,” Gay said.The last time the San Antonio Spurs didn’t win 50 games in an NBA season-excluding lockout-shortened campaigns-came back in 1996-97. When Popovich called in July, Gay was ready to answer. Gay had four head coaches in the past four seasons with Sacramento. Popovich will be Gay’s 11th head coach in the NBA. With the Spurs, Gay finds stability he had long been seeking. Gay played with Pau Gasol in Memphis and has had plenty of matchups against Kawhi Leonard in recent seasons. “That’s his whole focus and he’s dialed-in.” “He’s motivated to come in here and win,” Aldridge said. Gay and Aldridge were in the same rookie class together and have known each other since then. Numbers don’t mean anything if you don’t win, so you have to make the right decisions in your career. “There are a lot of things you want to do with your career or on the basketball court, but it’s not as easy as it looks. “I’ve always been a competitor, and it makes me wants to be a part of something great,” Gay said. Since Gay’s rookie season, the Spurs have played 153 postseason games. Regardless of injury, he spent May watching from home for another season. Gay has appeared in seven career playoff games. He is 31 now, a proven veteran who only wants to talk about all he has left to prove. San Antonio appealed the most to Gay’s competitive drive. Given all the work he put in to get back to basketball, Gay was going to make the next phase of his career count. That took a lot more sweat and a lot more time.” “I didn’t want to just be healthy or just be able to play, I want to be great. “It’s one of the toughest things I’ve had to do in my life, not just my career,” Gay said. Every day without dribbling somehow gave him more resolve. Time away from basketball was equal parts torture and therapy. It was the longest he’d gone since childhood without playing a game, running through a lay-up line, or even jumping. Gay was immobile for the first four months after injury, using a knee scooter for the first two months. It put my whole career into perspective and I felt like I had to do something.” “But a couple of days after, I felt more motivation than I’ve ever felt before. “My initial reaction after the injury was ‘I’m doomed’ to be honest,” Gay said.
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Even 25 years ago, Dominique Wilkins played seven more seasons of professional basketball after he ruptured his Achilles.
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Gay contacted Kobe Bryant and Wes Matthews, who both came back from torn Achilles in recent seasons. In the following days, he did research on Achilles injuries, while blocking out anyone who mentioned that the injury is a “death wish” for athletes. The injury happened on a baseline drive in Sacramento, as Gay had to be carried off the court. “I wanted to be with an organization that’s known for winning and can help me raise my game to the next level. “It’s a do-or-die point in my career,” Gay said.
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According to Gay, there’s no question it will be his most determined. It’s up for debate whether this is the second act of Rudy Gay’s career or the third or the fourth. As he enters his 12th NBA season, Gay plans to come back “stronger than ever.” He’s also recovering a torn Achilles in January that caused him to miss most of the 2016-17 season.
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The others are Spurs: LaMarcus Aldridge and Gay.Īlthough he has averaged double figures in scoring for his entire career, he appeared in one playoff series in that time. Two are LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. Gay has been one of the league’s most prolific scorers, as four players have averaged at least 15 points and 5 rebounds in each of the last 10 seasons. Hearing Pop’s voice again couldn’t have come at a better time. Gay said he wasn’t expecting to hear Popovich on the other line, asking him to come help the Spurs.
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The call came on July 1, the first day of 2017 NBA Free Agency. And I didn’t forget that when he called.” “Honestly, I didn’t know if Pop liked me before then. “I wanted to play so badly, and he felt for me,” Gay said. The opposing coach, Gregg Popovich, came over and gave some words of encouragement. Gay asked for the check and was told someone had already paid the bill. He can’t remember the name of the Memphis restaurant, but remembers how he found empathy from an unlikely place. Gay’s family was in town for the playoffs and he took them to dinner, putting on a brave face for those who could see through his disappointment the most. He watched in street clothes as his Memphis Grizzlies pulled off a first-round upset as the No. He missed the end of the 2011 season because of a separated shoulder and missed what would have been his first appearance in the NBA Playoffs. When it comes to moving on from an injury, Rudy Gay has been there before.