Rudy Gay retires after 17-season NBA career

NBA veteran Rudy Gay has officially announced his retirement, closing the chapter on a remarkable career spanning five teams and 17 seasons in the league.

The 38-year-old last played during the 2022-23 season with the Utah Jazz. He signed with the Golden State Warriors last summer, but the team waived him just before the season began, leaving him as a free agent.

Gay entered the NBA as the eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft, selected by the Houston Rockets out of the University of Connecticut, but was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies shortly afterward. Over his career, he was best known for his time with the Grizzlies and the Sacramento Kings, where he built much of his legacy.

In a heartfelt article for the Players’ Tribune, Gay shared his gratitude and the challenges of moving on. Reflecting on his decision, he admitted, “I needed to humble myself and be like: ‘Look, this is over,’” and opened up about the emotional process of stepping away. “Actually coming to grips with it being over, that’s … a process. One I’m honestly still dealing with, and struggle with at times,” he wrote, adding with humor that he still catches himself critiquing players on TV. “I absolutely am that dude yelling at the TV like: ‘I’m better than that clown. Are you kidding me?!?!’”

Reflecting on his journey, Gay noted how grateful he felt, not only for the achievements but for the “love, wisdom, and friendship” he found in basketball.

The forward finishes his career with averages of 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds across 1,120 games, with notable stints on the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz.