Rudy Gay

Gay in 2011
No. 22 – Memphis Grizzlies
Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1986-08-17) August 17, 1986 (age 25) Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Nationality	American
High school	Eastern Technical HS (Essex, Maryland) Archbishop Spalding HS (Severn, Maryland)
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
College	Connecticut (2004–2006)
NBA Draft	2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career	2006–present
Career history
2006–present	Memphis Grizzlies
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2007) Consensus All-American Second Team (2006)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Competitor for  United States FIBA World Championship Gold 2010 Turkey Team competition

Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. (born August 17, 1986) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played collegiately at the University of Connecticut before turning pro.

Early life[link]

Gay was one of five siblings and began playing competitive recreational basketball at 12 years old in the Turner Station community of Baltimore County, Maryland in one of the toughest youth basketball leagues in the area. Early exposure to Baltimore AAU basketball and summer league games in the Tom Jones Youth Summer League in Washington, D.C., showcased his abilities against top competition.^{[citation needed]}

At the age of 14, Gay began playing for the nationally-known Cecil-Kirk AAU program under Coach Anthony Lewis with other blue-chip players such as Josh Boone (UConn), Paris Carter (New Mexico State), and Chester Frazier (Illinois). During the spring of his 8th grade year, Gay and teammate Scott Dozier were highly sought after by several private schools. Gay attended Eastern Technical High School in Baltimore County, while Dozier enrolled at the St. Paul's School.^{[citation needed]} Gay transferred to Archbishop Spalding High School of the Baltimore Catholic League after his sophomore year at Eastern Tech.^{[citation needed]}

High school career[link]

Gay played his first two years at Baltimore County's Eastern Technical High School, a magnet school in Essex. He played varsity basketball both years. Although Eastern Tech was a Blue Ribbon academic institution, Gay's parents were concerned about his college preparation and during the summer of his sophomore year solicited help from Coach Collins who suggested several private schools in the area, including Archbishop Spalding High School. After reviewing each school's long term academic curriculum, it was decided that Gay would attend Spalding. Gay began playing for Spalding his Junior and senior years.^{[citation needed]} He was one of the top recruits entering college play after attending Archbishop Spalding High School where he earned first team All-Baltimore Catholic League honors as a junior and senior, and was also honored as the Baltimore Sun's co-player of the year. He was the Washington Post All Met Basketball Player of the Year, McDonald's All-American, and a Parade First Team All-American in his senior year after averaging 21.2 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks.^[1]

Gay's college recruitment and decision to attend the University of Connecticut over the University of Maryland were controversial.^[2][3] Gay had expressed a desire to attend Maryland and said that he grew up rooting for the team, but he ultimately chose UConn. Because of the heavy involvement of an AAU coach and a high school coach, there was the appearance of impropriety, although no NCAA recruiting violations were discovered.^[4] The NCAA adopted a new scheduling rule after UConn paid $25,000 to schedule a game against the Beltway Ballers, an ad hoc AAU team that consisted of Gay's former teammates.^[5] Although it violated no standing rule at the time,^[6] media observers and Connecticut staff considered it directly connected to the recruitment.^[7] According to individuals close to Maryland head coach Gary Williams, the recruitment demonstrated that rule bending is often necessary to secure highly touted players, which Williams said he is unwilling to do, even at the expense of recruiting.^[4]

College career[link]

Gay with his college coach Jim Calhoun

During his first season at Connecticut, Gay was a co-winner (with Jeff Green of Georgetown University) of the 2005 Big East Conference Freshman of the Year award. Gay was also named the National Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News.

In the summer of 2005, Gay was invited to play for the USA's Men's Under-21 World Championship Team. He posted one double-double while averaging 10.5 points a game and 5.5 rebounds.

Before his sophomore season began, Gay was nominated as Big East Preseason player of the year, along with Syracuse star, Gerry McNamara. After the season concluded, Gay was one of four division one college players nominated for the Naismith College Player of the Year Award (along with J. J. Redick, Adam Morrison, and Allan Ray). Also, he was a unanimous selection to the Big East's First Team. He tallied his career high in points with 28 versus Arkansas in the second game of the 2005–2006 season. Gay led the UConn Huskies to a 30–3 record, often the highest scorer, before losing to #11 seed George Mason in overtime, 86–84.

NBA career[link]

Draft[link]

Gay, widely regarded as one of the top future NBA prospects, announced on April 17 that he would enter the 2006 NBA Draft.^[8] He was selected with the 8th overall pick in the draft by the Houston Rockets, who then traded him and Stromile Swift to Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Shane Battier.

Memphis Grizzlies[link]

On July 12, 2006, Gay signed a multi-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies who acquired his draft rights from the Houston Rockets. Gay averaged 10.8 points per game to help the Grizzlies win 22 games in 2007. After earning Rookie of the Month honours in November of 2006, he was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team for the 2006-07 season and finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting behind Toronto’s Andrea Bargnani and Portland’s Brandon Roy, who won the award. ^[9]

In 2007–2008, Gay's second season, he averaged 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game; After Pau Gasol was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers during the season, he became the team's leading scorer. The Grizzlies still ended up with the same record as the previous year.

After his invitation to the 2008 Slam Dunk Contest, Gay and YouTube teamed up for the Rudy Gay Slam Dunk Contest promotion, in which he asked fans to upload footage of their best dunks for him to attempt during the contest. During the contest he performed a one handed reverse clutch dunk in the first round and during the second round teammate Kyle Lowry alley-ooped the ball off the bar and from behind the backboard Gay regathered and pulled off a windmill dunk. He ended with a score of 85 but did not advance to the second round. He was invited to participate in a second dunk contest during the 2009 All-Star Weekend, but was replaced by J.R. Smith due to injuries.

On December 13, 2009, Gay scored a career-high 41 points against the Miami Heat.^[10]

On July 1, 2010, Gay re-signed with the Memphis Grizzlies for a contract worth $82 million over 5 years.^[11]

On March 22, 2011 it was announced Gay would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a left shoulder subluxation sustained during a February 15, 2011 game versus the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time, Gay was averaging 19.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in his fifth NBA season while posting career highs in assists (2.8), steals (1.69), blocks (1.07), field goal percentage (.471), three-point field goal percentage (.396), free throw percentage (.805) and minutes (39.9, 3rd in the NBA). As a result, Gay was forced to watch on the sidelines as the Grizzlies went on to clinch a 2011 NBA Playoffs berth and pull off a historic first round upset of the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. ^[12]

On January 31, 2012, Gay tied Shane Battier as the franchise’s all-time steals leader (523 steals) while playing against the Denver Nuggets. ^[13]

International career[link]

Medal record
Competitor for  United States
FIBA World Championship
Gold	2010 Turkey	National team

Gay helped USA win its first gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship since 1994, averaging 7.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.00 steals in 13.4 minutes in nine games for the undefeated Americans.

Statistics[link]

2003–2004 (High school – Senior)

• 21.2 Points Per Game
• 9.2 Rebounds Per Game
• 3.7 Blocks Per Game

2004–2005 (UConn – Freshman)

• 11.4 Points Per Game
• 5.4 Rebounds Per Game
• 1.5 Assists Per Game
• 1.9 Blocks Per Game

2005–2006 (UConn – Sophomore)

• 15.2 Points Per Game
• 6.4 Rebounds Per Game
• 2.1 Assists Per Game
• 1.6 Blocks Per Game

NBA Career Highs

• Points: 41 @ Miami 12/13/09
• Field Goals Made: 15 @ Miami 12/13/09
• Field Goals Attempted: 28 (2 Times)
• Three Point Field Goals Made: 5 vs. Phoenix 04/08/08
• Three Point Field Goals Attempted: 10 (2 Times)
• Free Throws Made: 11 @ L.A. Clippers 11/07/09
• Free Throws Attempted: 13 @ L.A. Clippers 11/07/09
• Offensive Rebounds: 7 vs. Sacramento 02/20/09
• Defensive Rebounds: 11 @ L.A. Lakers 03/27/07
• Total Rebounds: 13 (3 Times)
• Assists: 7 @ Minnesota 02/02/11
• Steals: 5 (4 Times)
• Blocks: 6 vs. L.A. Lakers 11/30/10
• Minutes Played: 52 (2 Times)

NBA career[link]

Regular season[link]

NBA Playoffs[link]

Philanthropy[link]

In 2010, Gay was named an ambassador for the Hoops for St. Jude fundraising program for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and donated $20,000 to the program, which allows donors to pledge a set amount of dollars for each point scored by Gay and other participating NBA players.^[14]

In 2012, Gay was awarded the KIA Community Assist Award for April in recognition of his outstanding efforts in the Memphis community and his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work, particularly his ongoing support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. As a result, KIA and the NBA have committed to donate $10,000 on Gay’s behalf to the charity of his choice. Gay, who wears number 22, made a personal donation of $22,222.22 to the hospital. The longtime 'Hoops for St. Jude' campaign ambassador also recorded a PSA to raise awareness of, and funding for, the campaign. He also led a group of his teammates on a visit to St. Jude’s Grizzlies House, where they spent time decorating cookies, playing, and reading with the boys and girls. In addition, Gay treated one young patient, Cortavious, and his family to a dream dinner and subsequent Grizzlies game. When reflecting on the award and his involvement with the hospital, Gay said, “I am a huge fan of the organization – they truly work miracles for so many children and save lives every day. The work that St. Jude does makes my job look small.” ^[15]

Gay has served as a keynote speaker at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis’ annual Steak N’ Burger Dinner, which helped the organization raise more than $300,000. Gay also is a supporter of the Stax Music Academy in Memphis, where he has spent time with students and helped them raise money for Staxtacular, the school’s annual fundraiser, by collecting autographed memorabilia for the silent auction and hosting meet and greets with the event sponsors. With Gay’s help, the 2012 Staxtacular raised more than $100,000. ^[16]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rudy Gay

• The Official Site of Rudy Gay
• Rudy Gay at NBA.com
• Rudy Gay at Basketball-Reference.com
• USA Basketball profile
• ESPN college profile
• Bio at uconnhuskies.com

LeBron James

James with the Heat
No. 6 – Miami Heat
Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1984-12-30) December 30, 1984 (age 27) Akron, Ohio, United States
Nationality	American
High school	St. Vincent – St. Mary High School
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Pro career	2003–present
Career history
2003–2010	Cleveland Cavaliers
2010–present	Miami Heat
Career highlights and awards
3× NBA Most Valuable Player (2009–2010, 2012) NBA Rookie of the Year (2004) 8× NBA All-Star (2005–2012) NBA scoring champion (2008) 6× All-NBA First Team (2006, 2008–2012) 2× All-NBA Second Team (2005, 2007) 4× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2009–2012) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004) 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008) Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2003)
Stats at NBA.com
Medals Men's Basketball Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Team competition Bronze 2004 Athens Team competition FIBA World Championship Bronze 2006 Japan Team competition FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2007 Las Vegas Team competition

LeBron Raymone James (/ləˈbrɒn/; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a sophomore at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School. He was selected with the number one pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Listed as a small forward, James has set numerous youngest player records since joining the league. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003–04, was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2009, 2010, and 2012^[1] and has been both an All-NBA selection and an All-Star every season since 2005. In 2010, a much-publicized free agency process ended with James signing with the Miami Heat.

James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to consecutive playoff appearances from 2006 through 2010. In 2007, the Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs. In 2011, James and the Miami Heat advanced to the NBA Finals but lost to the Dallas Mavericks. James has been a member of the USA national team, winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and gold at the 2008 Olympics.

High school career[link]

James attended St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in Akron, where he starred as a two-sport athlete, playing basketball and football. A distinguished wide receiver, James was named first-team all-state in his sophomore year and led the Fighting Irish to the state semifinals in his junior year.^[2] His football career came to an end before his senior year when he broke his wrist during an AAU basketball game.^[3] Many sports analysts, football critics, and former and current players have speculated on whether he could have played in the NFL.^[4]