Lester Hudson is a keeper

[Rondo_is_better]

He played a good game.....but that's game, singular.

1 game into the preseason, guys. Lets at least wait 'til the end of the preseason before we start to make any sort of radical assessments.

[liam]

He played a good game.....but that's game, singular.

1 game into the preseason, guys. Lets at least wait 'til the end of the preseason before we start to make any sort of radical assessments.

I agree, but so far so good. You can't really judge anything in preseason but everybody looks like there in good health and good shape.

[Gomesfan]

The biggest thing he needs to work on is his hair cut. It looks like one of the mowhawks off Tony Hawk Pro Skater!

[clover]

It's always a good thing to be fired up and optimistic.  However, people were saying the same types of things about Orien Greene not too long ago.  I'm going to see how things play out before making too many conclusions, one way or the other.

Greene
Allen Ray
Pruitt
Gerald Green
Marcus Banks
Ben Pepper

Good post!  I actually don't recall too many superlatives sent Ben Pepper's way, but I may have missed it.  Here are a few more guys who wowed some folks, but flopped:
Michael Smith
Eric McMillan
Kris Klack
Dee Brown (yes, he flopped)

On the other hand, people saw something in these guys, and they were correct:
Eric Williams
Adrian Griffin
Bruce Bowen

I disagree with both posts here. For the first list..Greene, Allan Ray, Pruitt, Green, and Banks. Take a look at their stats in college (or lack of stats in college..Green). None of them were too impressive with the exception of one good season from Banks. It's pretty easy to see that we were just straight up stupid to expect anything from these guys. None of them proved anything at the college level (produce consistently, ability to control a game, or dominate even..).

For the second list..Dee Brown was a bust? He was the 19th pick of the draft, was pretty good in college, and has a 11 PPG average over 600 games. I'd say that's a pretty decent career. Not all star, but a good role player. Same with Michael Smith. He was the 35th pick in the draft. You usually don't get anything from your 2nd round picks..yet he played over 400 NBA games. Not a bust by any means. Can't say much for Klack or McMillan. I don't remember them.

It's pretty easy, imo, to identify who's going to cross over into the NBA (the hard part is identifying who will be a star..that's why lottery picking is so much harder, imo). IMO Leon Powe, Ryan Gomes, and Big Baby were nearly obviously going to make it as at least rotation players. They put up huge stats, all are very talented, good IQ's, etc. This is the group Lester Hudson is in. Lester Hudson doesn't belong in the group of Pruitt, Greene, and Allan Ray. Greene hardly did anything of any worth in college. Pruitt and Allan Ray were completely one-dimensional and undersized. Lester Hudson, though, was crazy in college, no matter what conference he played in. 2nd leading scorer and first quad double ever.

Great post!

[footey]

Bottom line: rarely do late second round picks make an NBA squad, never mind get in the rotation. Kudos to Danny Ainge for his high success record finding gems this late (Gomes, Powe and, maybe, Hudson). To have a batting average of even .333 with picks this late is a tribute to his eye for talent, and his ability to think outside the box.

[yall hate]

I disagree with both posts here. For the first list..Greene, Allan Ray, Pruitt, Green, and Banks. Take a look at their stats in college (or lack of stats in college..Green). None of them were too impressive with the exception of one good season from Banks. It's pretty easy to see that we were just straight up stupid to expect anything from these guys. None of them proved anything at the college level (produce consistently, ability to control a game, or dominate even..).

For the second list..Dee Brown was a bust? He was the 19th pick of the draft, was pretty good in college, and has a 11 PPG average over 600 games. I'd say that's a pretty decent career. Not all star, but a good role player. Same with Michael Smith. He was the 35th pick in the draft. You usually don't get anything from your 2nd round picks..yet he played over 400 NBA games. Not a bust by any means. Can't say much for Klack or McMillan. I don't remember them.

It's pretty easy, imo, to identify who's going to cross over into the NBA (the hard part is identifying who will be a star..that's why lottery picking is so much harder, imo). IMO Leon Powe, Ryan Gomes, and Big Baby were nearly obviously going to make it as at least rotation players. They put up huge stats, all are very talented, good IQ's, etc. This is the group Lester Hudson is in. Lester Hudson doesn't belong in the group of Pruitt, Greene, and Allan Ray. Greene hardly did anything of any worth in college. Pruitt and Allan Ray were completely one-dimensional and undersized. Lester Hudson, though, was crazy in college, no matter what conference he played in. 2nd leading scorer and first quad double ever.

wait wait wait. 

Allen Ray didnt have good college stats?  18.5 ppg in 32 minutes, shooting the 3 at 37% in his senior year.  career totals of: 16 ppg and 37% from 3 isnt good to you?

Pruitt was semi similar, a career 40% 3 point shooter (45% his senior year), almost 14 points a game.

Banks avg'd 18 ppg, shot almost 50%, 33% from 3 for his college career.

I mean, I dont think those guys were expected to be all stars coming out of college (maybe banks had high hopes), but they all had good numbers out of college. 


Hudson is just like all of them.  the flavor of the month.  he's new, it's exciting to think we may have gotten a steal, that he could blossum, etc...(I am not saying he is bad, or that he wont be a steal). 

Let's wait to see what happens when the real games start

[Rondo_is_better]

Let's wait to see what happens when the real games start

Once the real games start, he probably won't be playing haha.

[Brickowski]

I thought 3.2 was Rose's SAT score.

As for Hudson, I'd luike to see more than one assist in 21 minutes.  We don't need another one man band.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I thought 3.2 was Rose's SAT score.

As for Hudson, I'd luike to see more than one assist in 21 minutes.  We don't need another one man band.

I asked on the other thread, but no one seemed to respond. Was he being a ballhog? I didn't watch so I can't tell, but 9 FTs and one assist like you mention are telling sings from where I'm sitting.

[Change]

What is up with all the lester hate? Even if its preseason lester can hold his own in the NBA. I just wish him the best.

Remember Marquis wasn't drafted, and now he is a 6 year veteran. Also jamario moon, Will Bynum, Kelenna Azibuke, Raja Bell, Ben Wallace.................. never drafted. jamario moon was 27 his first year in the NBA. Age and drafted status don't mean anything in NBA.

[mgent]

I thought 3.2 was Rose's SAT score.

As for Hudson, I'd luike to see more than one assist in 21 minutes.  We don't need another one man band.

I asked on the other thread, but no one seemed to respond. Was he being a ballhog? I didn't watch so I can't tell, but 9 FTs and one assist like you mention are telling sings from where I'm sitting.

I watched the game, and he didn't seem too ballhogish to me.  I think he was paired with Marquis quite a bit, so that might be why he was lacking assists.

He just didn't seem that cocky to me.  He looked pretty selfless.

[greg_kite]

I liked Pruitt better.  Hudson reminds me of a poor man's Tony Delk.  A decent defender, not a great handle with the ball and not a playmaker.  Pruitt was a smooth ball handler, taller defender and had a decent stroke.  I think his shooting percentage last year was a result of never having time to get into a rhythm.  I would have liked Pruitt as a guy to cover players like Devin Harris and Lou Williams.  We still don't have a guy that can do that.  He played Harris well in a preseason game because of his length and quickness.

[Brickowski]

What is up with all the lester hate? Even if its preseason lester can hold his own in the NBA. I just wish him the best.

Remember Marquis wasn't drafted, and now he is a 6 year veteran. Also jamario moon, Will Bynum, Kelenna Azibuke, Raja Bell, Ben Wallace.................. never drafted. jamario moon was 27 his first year in the NBA. Age and drafted status don't mean anything in NBA.

So wait a second.  If we're not prepared to conclude, quite yet, that he's the second coming of Vinnie Johnson, does that mean we're classified as "haters?"

[liam]

I liked Pruitt better.  Hudson reminds me of a poor man's Tony Delk.  A decent defender, not a great handle with the ball and not a playmaker.  Pruitt was a smooth ball handler, taller defender and had a decent stroke.  I think his shooting percentage last year was a result of never having time to get into a rhythm.  I would have liked Pruitt as a guy to cover players like Devin Harris and Lou Williams.  We still don't have a guy that can do that.  He played Harris well in a preseason game because of his length and quickness.

I liked Pruitt also, but Pruitt didn't seem to have any killer instinct. Maybe Hudson has it maybe he doesn't. Pruitt never grabbed a spot for himself. It's the NBA you have to take it.

[Scalablob990]

I hope he keeps it at this level or goes beyond the call the next few games. It's exciting to watch him try and make a name for himself. We know what we'll get from our starters, BBD,TA,Scal, etc.. but that "watching a new player" feeling of Marquis, Wallace, and Hudson are what excite me the most this year. I hope Hudson makes a good impression.