Rudy Gay announces retirement from NBA after 17 seasons

After 17 seasons in the NBA, Rudy Gay has retired from basketball.

Gay announced the news via the Players’ Tribune, where he reflected on pivotal moments and relationships encountered during his time in the league.

The 6-foot-8 small forward averaged 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and two assists per game on 45 percent shooting over an NBA career spent with five franchises.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. with high school ties to Baltimore County in Maryland, Gay attended UConn from 2004 to 2006 before being drafted in the first round by the Houston Rockets with the eighth pick. Houston traded Gay to the Memphis before his rookie season.

As a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, Gay was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2007. He later won gold for the United States in the FIBA World Cup in 2010 and 2014.

Gay played seven seasons with the Grizzlies, one season with the Toronto Raptors, four with the Sacramento Kings, four with the San Antonio Spurs and two with the Utah Jazz. In his time in Sacramento, Gay averaged over 19.3 points, six rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

He signed a contract with the Golden State Warriors last summer but was waived before the season.

In his two years in Toronto, Gay averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

Gay was named a McDonald’s All-American in 2004 and was Big East Rookie of the Year at UConn.

(Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)