But the sales lady was all like: 'You mean a GAY jersey? Really? A jersey with GAY on it? That's what you want? A GAY one. I said I wanted a number 22 jersey, just trying to get in and get out without getting noticed. But going up to our team store and actually purchasing it. 'It was really embarrassing for me to have to do that,' said Fiore. As is the case with James's decision, the move is widely speculated to be a marketing ploy.ĭespite a high-profile college career at UConn and a productive four-year NBA career, Gay ranked second-to-last in jersey sales last year, with only three being sold: one to a gay Grizzlies fan, one to a Memphis college student who was drunk, and one to Grizzlies equipment manger Scott Fiore who misplaced Gay's real jersey before a game last year against the Sixers. On the heels of the news that Lebron James would be switching numbers beginning next season, Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay had filed the requisite paperwork to change the name on the back of his jersey.
