The dust had to settle first.

Wesley Matthews wanted to give Rudy Gay space before reaching out to him after Gay ruptured his left Achilles tendon in January. It was the same injury Matthews suffered in 2015 while with the Portland Trail Blazers. If anyone could relate to what Gay was feeling after that injury ended his season, Matthews could.

“Respect the process,” Matthews told Gay. “Respect it. Let every emotion out that comes across you because you’re going to get the whole gambit of them. Attack the rehab. Don’t push it.”

It was those words of encouragement from Matthews, as well as Kobe Bryant, who Gay admitted “motivated the hell out of me,” that assisted in his recovery.

But there was also another source that played a role: Music.

Gay, a recent acquisition by the Spurs, is a big music fan. Hip-hop, R&B, old school soul. Rick Ross, Dru Hill, The O’Jays.

Gay listens to it all. He embraces it. Gay uses it as ammunition to combat the cynics.

It was no different when he suffered the scariest injury of his career, one that threatened to derail him forever. Music was Gay’s deliverance.

“People don’t understand. Music to athletes is like an everyday thing,” Gay said. “We’re on buses, planes, back to buses and then to our cars. The weight room. Music enhances our mood.”

Days before Gay made his return to the court, to play his first regular season game in 272 days, he recapped the musical journey that assisted him during his recovery. It was a journey filled with a wide range of emotions, from hate to motivation, perspective and a feeling of renewal.

It was this musical exploration that assisted in the rebuilding of Gay.

Early days

“When it first happened, I was on some slow, R&B stuff,” Gay said.

The usual musical selections were suspended from his playlist. He had no desire to hear anything upbeat, which is what he would normally listen to before a game.

Rae Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles” and Drake’s “Fake Love” were at the top of the billboard charts when Gay underwent surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

But those songs were too fast.

“I could be in an (upbeat mood), but to do what?” he said.

Gay couldn’t dance to the music. There was nothing to celebrate at the time, either. Why listen to music that promoted such things?

Unable to fly following his surgery, Gay sat in his room at the London Hotel in Midtown, attempting to unleash what he was feeling, just as Matthews advised.

But what could he listen to that supported his reality?

“I’m sitting in a boot,” Gay said, describing his time at the hotel. “I couldn’t get up and go anywhere. I was chilling. It was one of those things where I was relieving stress. Get that stress off of me and focus on healing.”

Enter Stevie Wonder — “My dad is a big fan,” Gay said — and Teddy Pendergrass’ Love T.K.O. The soundtrack from the 1973 Blaxploitation film entitled “The Mack,” featuring the classic song “I choose you,” by Willie Hutch. The first verse:

You were there

When no one else

Would be in my corner

Girl and it’s you that I’ve learned to love

And I place no one above

Oh, how can I ever thank you

Except take you home and make you my loving wife

So we can always be together

Oh ain’t that nice

“I’m into old school music,” Gay said. “Every day it was something different when you’re going through something.”

More artists were added to his list. Miguel, Musiq Soulchild, Jagged Edge, Ricardo Valentine, who goes by the name “6LACK,” but pronounced “black.” They all had Gay’s attention. D’Angleo’s Brown Sugar. The end of first verse:

Brown Sugar babe, I gets high off your love

I don’t know how to behave

The lyrics reinforced Gay during his transition from a stage of depression to stability. He went from being stuck in New York to finally being able to fly to a new destination in Miami.

Slow music selections would suffice. The type of music Gay could play, nod his head slowly, and visualize better days, when he could finally walk, and bounce a ball standing on his two legs. The difficult part of the rehab was in progress.

Time to attack

“When I was getting back into it, training and rehabbing, it was more inspirational, upbeat stuff,” Gay said.

On April 17, a video appeared on Gay’s Instagram timeline. The future Spurs forward was shown moving side to side, passing a ball in what appeared to be a private office space with equipment used for cardio exercises.

Gay executed the drill without a walking boot. It was the first time Gay posted on social media without the protective device. Under the video, a caption read: “Attacking the rehab.”

At this point, the slow music began to subside. Gay could move again, so there was no reason to forgo listening to songs like “Bad and Boujee” by Migos, the number one hip-hop song on the charts at the time.

“It was back to upbeat stuff,” Gay said. “That’s when Playboi Carti came out. That makes you want to jump around. I had my little nephews in there, they’re dancing. It was just to keep my mind off of what I can’t do and just try to focus on trying to get myself back.

“It wasn’t about making shots or anything. It was just about listening to the music, having it move me, instead of moving to the music.”

Gay spent time rehabbing at Legacy Fit Gym in Miami, under the watchful eye of owner Manning Sumner, who trained Gay since 2015. They worked on belt squats which were designed to give Gay’s hips comfort while working on his legs. Romanian deadlifts and weight sleds helped Gay’s explosiveness and power.

Sumner told Gay he was ahead of schedule. It was the right message to send as free agency was ready to begin. Gay declined a $14.3 million player option with the Sacramento Kings. The search for a new team was ready to commence.

Back in New York City, ads started to appear around Manhattan. The message was simple: “4:44.” After days of mystery and speculation, one of Gay’s favorite artists released his 13th album. Jay Z was back on the music scene, and Gay was thrilled, using his Instagram once again to show his approval and support.

“4:44 came out and now I’m trying to accomplish more things in my life and career so it motivated me,” Gay said.

Shawn Carter’s new project was different. The lyrics on 4:44 gave Gay additional perspective the way the Brooklyn born hip-hop mogul always has. Gay started to reminisce about his favorite Jay Z song, “Some People Hate,” off the Blueprint 2 album. The middle of the second verse:

I roll with the punches so I survive

I bob and weave, move my feet from side to side

I’m back, stronger than ever surprise surprise

They try to take me out the game but I’s alive

“That’s like one of my favorite songs,” Gay explained. “He took a couple of Tupac lines and flipped them. It was crazy.”

And then Gay introduced another track he used during his rehab. It’s from Rather You Than Me, the ninth studio album from Ross.

Santorini, Greece

While former Longhorns star Kevin Durant was in the middle of the Western Conference Finals, as the Golden State Warriors were in San Antonio to play the Spurs, it was requested he select a song that described his first season with his new team. Durant picked Ross’ Santorini Greece

“The intro,” Durant said, “when (Rick Ross) is talking, that reminds me of my year. It’s just soulful.”

Gay could relate. He listened to Santorini Greece for clarity. When Gay needed to relax, this was the perfect song. The drums, the piano, that sample of Judy Bailey’s voice from Colours of My Dreams, the saxophone that played throughout.

“That beat was crazy,” Gay said. “That song to me, it makes you want to go to Santorini, Greece. You have to be able to walk there, so I’m like, ‘Man I got to get in this gym. I got to do this.”

A more detailed reason why Gay admired the track was the message Ross communicated.

“People probably didn’t know that place existed before that song,” Gay said. “He’s just talking about being in Greece, jogging on the beach, Versace (underwear). It was stuff like that. I mean, people day-to-day, you don’t think about stuff like. I feel like rap right now is so obvious. They want this. They want that. But that’s minuscule compared to what’s out there in life.

“It’s just a really good song,” Gay continued. “It’s a motivational song. Rap right now is about how much drugs you do. How many foreign cars you drive. How many watches you have. … (There’s) more to life than that.”

On June 29, Gay released another video on his Instagram account. The first message that appeared: “I’M READY.” Gay welcomed a new chapter in his career. The Spurs did their homework and made it known to Gay they were interested.

When free agency started on July 1, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Gay to inquire about his services. A few days later, team officials made the trip to Austin, where Gay relocated his rehab, to speak with the veteran forward.

On July 6, Gay posted a photo of a Spurs jersey, No. 22. He had agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal with the team.

“He was our priority,” said Spurs general manager M R.C. Buford. “The more we got to know him and the more he got to know us, he felt like this was a good place for him.”

Said Gay, who is now 31, of why he picked the Spurs when teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder also showed interest: “I think it was a do-or-die point in my career. I wanted to be with an organization that was known for winning and can help me raise my game to the next level.”

The Nas effect

Weeks before the start of training camp, Gay was introduced to local media in San Antonio. He was bombarded with questions about his health. Is he the same player? How long will it take before he’s 100 percent? Is he cleared to return with no restriction on minutes?

The Spurs are known for their patience. It’s not about November, December or January. Popovich and company prepare for the long haul. April is the time the Spurs want to be playing their best basketball. There was no need to rush Gay back and risk another injury.

“He’ll need to be patient,” Buford said in September. “It’s not important for us right now. It’s important for us as we go through the season and to be ready at the end of the season.”

But Gay is too competitive. He wants to play. He has put in too much work over the course of his rehab, with the objective to make a return at the start of the regular season.

He thought about the last few months, from the time he was holding his left leg in Sacramento, to being stranded in his hotel room after surgery in New York, to the rehab process in Miami and Austin.

Gay summed it all up, referencing Hate Me Now by Nas. “That song motivated the hell out of me,” he said before offering what verse had the biggest effect.

(People) fear what they don’t understand

Hate what they can’t conquer, guess it’s just the theory of man

Became a monster, on top of the world, never fallin’

I’m as real as they come, from day one, forever ballin’

“I was young when I heard that,” Gay explained. “I was like, ‘Damn, what does that mean?’ But when you go through life, sometimes you get past that fear. You can’t think about what you can’t do. It’s all about what you want to do.”

And what Gay wanted to do was prove the naysayers wrong. He wanted to get back to playing the sport he loved, but this time as a better version of himself.

Days before the Spurs opened the 2017-18 season against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team got their first glimpse of confirmation. Behind closed doors at the practice facility, Gay threw down a ferocious dunk over a teammate.

There was no fear. Gay went up and made a statement.

Then came the public display: Late in the first quarter of the season opener, Gay found Manu Ginobili racing down the court on a fastbreak. Ginobili passed it back to a cutting Gay, who converted a massive dunk for his first points of the season.

“I got emotional earlier in that game because I’ve been through so much these past couple of months,” said Gay, who finished with 14 points and five rebounds, after that game. “I got a text from someone that said, ‘Five months ago, you couldn’t walk. Now you’re out there playing.’”

Gay’s mind returned to the song Hate Me Now. His mission was complete.

“People told me that I couldn’t start the season (in time),” he said, then paused for a few seconds. “And now, here I am. I’m motivated off people telling me what I can’t do. I’m weird like that. … I don’t like people telling me what I can’t do.”

Moving forward

The questions have been answered.

Now Gay can focus on the possibilities.

He started the season by scoring in double figures in the first five games, including a season-high 22 points in the win over the Miami Heat.

The basketball world has already taken notice, commending Gay on his return.

“I think he might be way further along than I was at the start of the season,” Matthews said.

Gay will admit he’s still not where he wants to be. Very few players are. Gay plans to get in better shape, and continue to build his endurance throughout the season.

But he’s back. That was the goal, and he achieved it with the help of music.

“People just think we (athletes) want to rap and live that life,” Gay said. “No. Music moves us. Music is big for us.”

And music helped rebuild Rudy Gay.

jyoung@express-news.net