At the time, freshmen were allowed to play to compensate for a shortage of college-age players due to World War II.

Gray played on future Hall of Fame coach Harold Anderson's first team at Bowling Green.

[2] Gray joined the Navy after the season, and returned to Bowling Green for the 1944–45 season as a part of the V-12 Navy College Training Program[3] and, along with big man Don Otten, led the Falcons to the final of the 1945 National Invitation Tournament, where they were defeated by the George Mikan-led DePaul Blue Demons.

After his college career was over, Gray played for Honey Russell on the first Boston Celtics team in 1946–47.

Eleven games into his Bombers career, Gray was again traded, this time to the Providence Steamrollers for forward Ariel Maughan.