Is Rudy Gay Cursed
Picture Credit: Chris Smoove
Rudy Gay has signed a 2 year contract with the San Antonio Spurs on July 6, 2017.
How Rudy Gay fits into the Spurs system will be critical to how the Spurs rank in the Wild Wild West. If we use history to predict how the Spurs will do solely based on the team's Rudy Gay's played for, chances are they will not do very well. Lets take a look at how Rudy Gay has been cursed throughout his basketball life:
Rudy Gay's history:
College - First seed Connecticut led by Rudy Gay loses in the Semi-Finals to 11th seed George Mason in 2006
NBA Playoff Experience - 13 years in the NBA and Rudy Gay has only played in a post-season series once (back in the 2011-12 season with the Grizzles; Griz lost in a 4-3 series to the LA Clippers). Note - The Grizzlies also made the playoffs in the 2010-11 season, however, Gay was injured and watched from the sidelines, therefore does not count towards his playoff tenure.
2013 Trade to the Toronto Raptors - Toronto Raptors President and GM Bryan Colangelo trades for Rudy Gay. The Raptors do not make the playoffs that year. President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo is replaced by Masai Ujiri that following offseason.
2013-2017 - Rudy Gay is traded to the Sacramento Kings. They do not make the playoffs any of the seasons he was there. Not even close. Gay suffers a full rupture on his left Achilles tendon causing him to miss the remainder of the 2016-17 season. Kings throw up the white flag and trade away franchise player DeMarcus Cousins.
Other Key Note - Rudy Gay has never been selected as an NBA All-Star
All that being said - there was a few bright moments in Rudy Gay's career such as when he won gold for the United States during the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2014 FIBA World Basketball Cup (but keep in mind there were only other 2 players in the 2014 Championship roster to not be an NBA Allstar - Kenneth Faried and Mason Plumlee. Everyone on that team was pretty damn good).
If there is anyone that can get Rudy Gay to play defense and get his career turned around, its Greg Pop. Lets see if he can work his magic and turn Rudy into Kawahi 2.0
Feel free to share your thoughts. Cheers.
I would say a curse is quite the stretch. George Mason was a fluke. The Grizzlies were a 4 seed in 2012 and lost to a 5 seed Clippers team. Both teams would have gotten spanked by the Spurs that year. Then he goes to a very young Raptors team that just needed a year of development. And lastly, nobody can win on the Kings. That's a fact.
So what then? Just an unlucky career? He really has no excuse now playing along side Leonard and under Pop's coaching. Let's see if he can end his career on a strong note.
Flukey situations is what I would attribute it to. I don't see any way he doesn't make the playoffs this year. The Spurs are nearly a lock.
Will definitely revive his career at Spurs with Popovich leading the way.
Great first post bud! Did you hear about Orlando signing Jonathan Simmons for a year deal? That's a pretty good deal for Orlando... He has potential. Spurs pretty much replaced Simmons with Gay.
Do you think this is enough for them to compete in the West though?
Rudy will fit in pretty well I think
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Thank You - @blueorgy
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I think he's gonna fit in the Spurs system. The question is, what does this mean for kawhi? Gay is a ball dominant player
I agree - it was quite surprising to see a player like him go to th Spurs especially since the Spurs philosophy is to always to pass first. Maybe Pop will start them both but let Gay dominant with the second rotation line up
It's a good player to fit in, he'll be the best I think