Yeah it’s nice to see hard work pay off for kids. I was at a team banquet in 2018 and was sitting between Gray and Mfiondu Kabengele. Gray, redshirting at the time, was probably a dinner roll shy of 300 back then and Fi was just giving the youngster hell. Telling me to take his steak and give him my salad. Told the waiter to skip him for dessert. Just razzing him.
Anyway, Stan Jones was also at the table and said something along the lines of “you know, Fi, if Turk (Gray’s nickname) ever gets in shape, he’s gonna be impossible for you to defend?”
Fi just laughed and kept razzing him. But Stan knew there was a stud in there. His hands and feet are just so fast for a man his size. I honestly believe that Gray could be an all-pro tight end if he wanted to be. Or hell, even a championship heavy weight boxer. Just incredible balance and quickness to go with size.
Now, is Gray a finished product? No. He certainly needs to keep extending his jumper from the current 17 feet out to 23. But he’s got the potential to be a really good piece for someone in the NBA. Of course I’d love for him to spend another year in Tallahassee developing, but truthfully if I were his advisor I’d tell him to leave now. Strike while the iron is hot and get to your second contract more quickly.