How Josh Gray became one of the best rebounders in the SEC

Josh Gray learned quickly where he was in his development process three games into SEC play in front of a raucous crowd at Rupp Arena. 

There, he was going against reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe, a robot built in a laboratory designed specifically to rebound the basketball and score in the paint. 

He’s been one of the best players in basketball for years and there was Gray, in his first career start, expected to go toe-to-toe with him. 

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Gray felt like he was doing fine defensively but once he got on the offensive side of things, he began huffing and puffing. That taught him just how much more he had to go to truly be an impact player. 

“I was guarding him pretty well. Going down on offense I didn’t feel like I had enough energy to run around, do our sets and be effective on the offensive side of the court,” Gray said. “Now I’m making it a focus to play great defense. But the same way people are trying to go at me down low, give it right back to them and try to make a play.”

So Gray got to work. 

After a preseason wrist injury set him back in the conditioning department, Gray devoted himself to getting his wind back. 

There were pre- and post-practice conditioning sessions with head strength and conditioning Scott Greenawalt. Treadmill Fridays weren’t uncommon with Gray’s conditioning included 45-second sprints at 11 to 12 miles per hour. 

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There were post-practice 22s, where Gray had to sprint down the court, back up it and then down again in under 22 seconds. Sometimes, to really push himself, he would have to do it in under 20. 

“It sucks sometimes but the overall outcome is good,” Gray said. “That’s why I keep at it.”

Slowly but surely Gray’s endurace began to build up to where he is now, and the potential he always possessed started to show. 

Gray finished with one of the better rebounding seasons in program history, one of just three players to rank in the top five in the SEC offensive and defensive rebound rate in the KenPom era. 

The only other two were Michael Carrera and Chris Silva. Neither were the best at each in a single season. Gray is. KenPom has him as the league’s best offensive rebounder in terms of offensive rebound rate (18.8) and atop the SEC with a defensive rebound rate of 27.3.

Gray is averaging 3.4 offensive boards to 4.6 defensive boards in league play. Since that Kentucky game he’s averaging 8.4 rebounds per game and shooting 51.3 percent from the field. 

“When I started, I remember playing Ole Miss at home and I didn’t play well starting the game. I was coming off the bench doing much better. It was all about accepting responsibility for me. Now that I’ve embraced responsibility and taking it by the horns I’m doing pretty well.”

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But for Gray, turning into an elite rebounder is a long time coming, a story that starts his freshman year of high school. 

Gray lived a largely nomadic life before settling at South Carolina. He attended three high schools over four seasons, heading to Putnam Science Academy after that for a postgrad year. 

There he found what he longed for–stability–and things started to come together for him. 

“He had a lot of growing up to do. He had to change a lot of things and really needed a post-grad year away from home. These kids grow up a lot. It’s not easy to do this. You leave your family, friends and hometown to come to a community tin Northeastern Connecticut of 8,000 people. It’s difficult,” Thomas Espinosa, Gray’s high school coach, said. 

“(Prep school) is a huge sacrifice for these kids. It’s a huge privilege and rewarding but it’s difficult. Josh needed it more than anyone I coached. Josh will tell you, he was immature at times and had to grow up.”

Structure helped Gray, teaching him the benefits of punctuality and discipline. Espinosa said Gray matured “to his credit,” ultimately coming off the bench for PSA as a key cog for a team that could have won a state title if not for the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It was there Espinosa also saw the potential for Gray to be a “monster” rebounder and someone who could help at the college level. 

“I’ve had a lot of Division I guys and 7-footers I’ve coached. He moved as well as any of the 7-footers I coached. He really moves like a wing. He’s not a wing but moves like one,” he said. “He had a motor. He’s powerful. He came off the bench and would rebound, defend and play hard. It was perfect for us.” 

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Gray had one more detour once he got to college, transferring from LSU to South Carolina. He’s been in Columbia now for two seasons, one of the first times he’s stayed in the same location for multiple years. 

Which is why he gets taken aback when recognized in public. 

“I didn’t know people knew me. I go to get a sandwich and someone comes up to me like, ‘Nice game last night,’” Gray said. “I’m like, ‘Woah. He knows me. That’s cool.’ Stuff like that is cool to have some stability. There was a staff change but the overall atmosphere hasn’t changed. I like it.”  

And it still brings a smile to Espinosa seeing Gray doing well. 

“Josh is one of my favorites. He’s a great kid. He needed to grow up a little bit and that’s what we’re here for. It’s why we do what we do,” he said. “He really figured it out. He really helped us and he’s a great kid. We really enjoyed coaching him. We’re happy he’s in a good place and he’s doing well.” 

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