Gay elevates his game

[admin]

Rudy Gay, SF/PF
19 years old 6'9" 220 lbs.
Connecticut, Sophomore

Check out the complete profile at: Full Profile (http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=34)

[Jonathan]

Hello Rudy! We are on a tear now are we? Where was this in the first three months of the season?

[Jonathan]

annoying problem of empty threads has been officialy fixed for now. bumping all old threads to the top now.

[Dan]

Was Rudy at UConn when Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon was there?

[sz11nike]

No, he came a year after they both left as JR's. You may be thinking of Charlie Villanueva instead.

[bballfraz23]

If Rudy plays the way that he has for the past couple of weeks the rest of the season and the tournaments, then there is a very good possibility that he could regain control of the number one draft pick in this draft. I also think that he will be a dominant force in the NBA if he can keep he mentality of dominating his opponents like the past couple of weeks. I really like what this kid has the capability to do on the next level, and he will shine.

[dougthonus]

I'd take Rudy over Morrison, but a lot will depend on the tourney and the lottery.

I'd wonder if the Bull or Hawks could even really consider him (or Morrison) due to the make up of their teams. Both really need Aldridge more, but then they could easily try to trade down with Charlotte or Toronto if one of those teams wanted to move up.

I think more so than any other prospect Gay controls his own destiny though. If he has a great year then he will be #1. If Morrison and Gay are both great you go with Gay because he's far more athletic and doesn't have diabetes. Aldridge only somewhat controls his own destiny because he can't seem to get the ball enough from his teammates to really prove his case for a top pick. If he could get his guards to give up the rock then he could control his own destiny too, but if it hasn't happened yet, I have a hard time believing it will change much.

[Jonathan]

That's a good way to look at things.

UConn NEEDS Rudy at his best and they know that, especially their terrific pass-first PG Marcus Williams. They run tons of plays for him, look to get him going early and often, and make sure to motivate him both on and off the court both in practice and through the media.

Rick Barnes at Texas either can't seem to find a way to impose his will on his team, or doesn't think that Aldridge needs the ball. Either that or I am completely misreading all the games I've seen and Aldridge just doesn't deserve to get the ball in the post instead of seeing another turn around 24 footer from Daniel Gibson.

[admin]

A few weeks back, I read a comment from Rudy Gay, where he openly wondered if the expectations placed on his shoulders weren't just a tad unrealistic.

My first thought was to wonder if Gay saw the same player the rest of us did.

That Rudy Gay was still acquiring a game to go with his breath-defying dunks and sundry acrobatic maneuvers, the likes of which are reserved for people named Erving and Hawkins and MJ and LeBron.

There is so much electricity in the body of Rudy Gay, the patience to wait for it to all come together hasn't been easy. It even crossed my mind that his game may never catch up to his athletic ability.

That's no longer an issue as we watch the emergence of basketball royalty down the stretch of his UConn career.

It's been an evolution, for sure, and there are still fields of green in his game. But the same guy that coach Jim Calhoun said didn't deserve to be the No. 1 pick in the draft two months ago — empirically speaking — seems to be developing by the breathtaking yard.

"In the Indiana game (last Saturday), we as a team reached the point where we knew we were better," UConn assistant George Blaney said. "They knew we were better. And everybody in the building knew we were better. I think Rudy's starting to reach that. He's not there yet and not fully confident. But he's getting there. And that's what great players have to do."

There was a put-back dunk in the first half of UConn's 73-50 win over Syracuse Wednesday that I'd swear saw his knuckles above the backboard.

There was a tomahawk dunk early in the second half in which he glided airborne from the right side with the majesty of a bald eagle.

Then there was the shake-and-bake dunk later in the second half in which he blew by a Syracuse defender like a sprinter coming out of the starting blocks.

Comparatively, that last dunk was far more pedestrian than the other two, but it was an ingredient in Gay's game he probably couldn't have completed last year or earlier this year.

There's is nothing subtle about Gay's athletic dominance on a basketball court, yet his evolution is as subtle as a head-and-shoulder move, a slash to the basket and an ability to create for himself, probably for the first time in his basketball career.

"I think I have the potential to (be the best player every time he sets foot on the court), but it's a lot to ask to be the best player," Gay said. "I think at different points of the game, I can be, and I'm trying to be."

Can he ever be the best player on the court ... all the time?

"I think so. I've yet to have a game like that, but I'm still working on it."

Read Full Article from Dave Solomon, New Haven Register ( http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16095000&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=517515&rfi=8&xb=bacij)

[Manumismo]

It's been a treat to watch Rudy Gay step his game up. I can't wait for the March Madness to begin!

[dougthonus]

What are the prospects of Gay playing the 2 in the NBA?

I'd think he'd be athletic enough to defend the 2. Agree or disagree?

On offense, is his post game good enough to take advantage of smaller defenders?

I'm curious if the Bulls draft Gay, could they play Gay and Deng at the same time as a 2 and 3 for decent minutes or would it be something that could only be done within a certain scheme for brief stretches?

I would think it would largely depend on whether Gay could guard the 2 guard spot or not defensively, because I don't think Deng is quick enough to do so.

[Manumismo]

What are the prospects of Gay playing the 2 in the NBA?

I'd think he'd be athletic enough to defend the 2. Agree or disagree?

On offense, is his post game good enough to take advantage of smaller defenders?

I'm curious if the Bulls draft Gay, could they play Gay and Deng at the same time as a 2 and 3 for decent minutes or would it be something that could only be done within a certain scheme for brief stretches?

I would think it would largely depend on whether Gay could guard the 2 guard spot or not defensively, because I don't think Deng is quick enough to do so.

I think he will play a 2/3 position depending on which team drafts him. On offense I think he will be able to overwhelm some undersized SG's in the post, but I haven't seen him use too much of his post game this year. I don't know if he could take a Kobe or Gerald Wallace to the post. Who knows, he does have good height.

If the Bulls drafted him I would think first, "Is there a trade in the works for Deng?". If they kept both, I think they could very well together if Rudy drives the lane more. Otherwise, I would think it would be a bit redundant to have both of them popping shots. I don't know, I kind of see Rudy Gay as a more raw, more athletic, more potential Deng at times. It depends how he matures and what type of player he becomes in the NBA. I agree with you on Deng's speed, but he is improving.

[Xenogenetic]

I think Gay will be featured as a 3 primarily in the NBA. He's a prototypical wing forward.

I don't see the Bulls moving Deng. Their coach, Scott Skiles, is so thick headed that it took him a year and a day to replace Duhon in the starting lineup with Ben Gordon...to the point where the historically church mouse like Gordon had to almost demand a trade because it was getting ridiculous/unfair.

So, judging from such a head in the sand philosophy on the part of Skiles, there is no shot in hell that Skiles is capable/bold enough to move Deng in favor of Gay. I think if they had the chance to draft first the Bulls would pick up Aldridge.

Mark my words, if Gay is still on the board when Charlotte or Toronto picks one of those teams will definitely pick Gay. Their team needs are more in line for one of those two teams to bring aboard Gay. All depends on who has the stinkiest W-L total at the end of the year. May the worst smell win. :-)