Rudy Gay Nike All-Asia Camp Interview

NiuBBall: Before your injury, you were having a career year.  It’s a topic that’s been talked about a lot, but I wanted to get your comments on it.  What do you think is so special about the Team U.S.A. experience and why do players improve so much as a result?

RG: It was a great experience as far as just learning.  We had great coaches.  And just playing with great players, you can just take your level up to an all-time high.

NiuBBall: Aside from a few small moves in the off-season, the Grizzlies essentially brought back the same core from last year.  Why do you think the team was able to make such a big leap this year with essentially the same personnel?

RG: We had more of a seriousness about us.  We went out there and we played hard together.  We knew that when we were out there, we were out there for a reason and that was to win games.

NiuBBall: Was that a product of a collective mentality before the season?  Did you guys talk about that during the summer?  Was it spurred by coaching?

RG: When we came into camp it was just different.  It was a different atmosphere than before, we weren’t trying to play around.  We were basically just trying to become a better team.

NiuBBall: What was it like to watch your team’s playoff run from the sidelines?

RG: It was tough, it was tough.  It was one of the toughest times in my career, or really ever.

NiuBBall: How is the recovery coming along?

RG: It’s getting there.  I started a little rehab, but you know it’s just slow.  I’d like to go out there and do more, but it’s just slow.  It’s been a slow process.

NiuBBall: Is there a timetable for when you’re going to be back?

RG: No, I just take it a little bit by a little bit.  Every time I go back [to the doctor] to check it up, they tell me what more I can do.

NiuBBall: Is there less of a rush to come back with a lockout looming?  Would you be on a stricter timetable if there wasn’t the possibility of a shortened season?

RG: No, you know I don’t think it’s that kind of an injury.  You have to let it heal, or else it could affect the rest of your career.  I definitely want to be at my maximum potential, so I’m gonna wait it out and see what I have to do.

NiuBBall: As a result of the team’s success mixed with your injury, your name has popped up in a lot of trade rumors the last few weeks.  Your owner came out in the press a couple of weeks ago and basically squashed all those.  How have you reacted to your name being thrown around in trade scenarios?

RG: This is my fifth year in the league.  I’ve pretty much seen everything.  If it happens, then I’m prepared to to take whatever team that is to the next level.  But, you know our if owner said [a trade] was gonna happen soon, then I have to really think about my future with the Memphis Grizzlies.

NiuBall: Do you want to be with the Grizzlies going forward?

RG: Yeah.  Contractually I’m still a Memphis Grizzly.  If I’m there, I wanna win.  As long as I’m there, I’m going to try and do my best to make the team win.