UConn sophomore F Rudy Gay Jr.
Background: Gay is the 6-foot-9, high-flying, reluctant superstar of the Final Four-contending Connecticut Huskies. He was the Big East rookie of the year in 2004-05 and averages just less than 16 points per game for the fourth-ranked Huskies. He also leads the team in steals and is third in rebounding.
What’s up: Gay is considered perhaps the nation’s most talented player, but he has not been aggressive enough on offense to suit UConn coach Jim Calhoun. After the Huskies’ loss to Marquette in the Big East opener, Calhoun tore into Gay publicly, saying: “I don’t think Rudy Gay did anything today except report for the starting lineup. We don’t have anyone on our team right now that plays like an all-star or top-15 player.”
What’s next: The NBA. Gay is widely thought of as a top-five pick next summer, even with a passive approach on the court. “Upside” is what the NBA seeks, and Gay has enormous potential. Calhoun has said he thinks Gay will be a top-three pick when he goes pro but isn’t so sure that it will be after this season.
Dempsey’s take: Gay is one of the nation’s top five players. I like the fact he’s willing to put the team’s goals before his own, but it just so happens that for Connecticut to reach its goals, Gay must assert himself more on offense. He’ll learn that averaging 20-plus points per game doesn’t have to mean hogging the spotlight.
