The all-time Big East NBA mock draft

No. 9 overall pick in 2006

2005-06 UConn stats (Sophomore): 15.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.6 blocks per game (Lost in Elite Eight to George Mason)

Much like Drummond, Gay never fully achieved his potential, but much of that stemmed from being somewhat miscast in a number one scoring role. However, there was always a fit for him in the NBA thanks to his athleticism and ability to create separation on offense. Gay was a brilliant athlete at UConn, and was able to overwhelm smaller college small forwards consistently with long strides and an explosive first step off the dribble. He struggled to shoot from the tighter college 3-point line, but his pull-up jumper mechanics and ability to shoot quickly off screens lend to the idea that he may have been better served as a second or third offensive option, playing as more of a Khris Middleton type in a modern NBA context. With less focus on trying to be a primary initiator, Gay may have been more efficient, and more focused on defense.

Regardless of his shortcomings, there is little doubt that Gay would be able to duplicate his early successes in the modern NBA. His jumper mechanics, off-ball cutting, and defensive potential were all strong, and although his effort wavered at times for the Huskies, his talent meant that he could at least be a valuable NBA role player at minimum. Gay is a player who is seen as a story of wasted potential, and that’s while becoming one of the league’s better volume wing scorers. You can easily project more of his college skill set to the NBA in a different context, and if that were the case, he definitely belongs in the top 10 of Big East prospects.