Jalen Hudson Preparing for Next Step Following Summer League

Former Florida Gator basketball star Jalen Hudson is at a crossroads with two promising destinations. On Sportscene with Steve Russell, Hudson said he’s in the process of deciding on whether to play in the NBA G League or play overseas. He has about a few weeks to decide where he’s going to continue his basketball career. Last month, Hudson played with the Cleveland Cavaliers Summer League team. During his appearance on Sportscene, Hudson talked about his time with the Cavaliers and gives his impressions on the preseason hype for the Gator basketball team.

Summer Showcase

Hudson was able to showcase the skills that Gator fans got to see for two seasons this summer. With the Cavaliers Summer League team, Hudson played a small, yet effective role in the rotation. In his two appearances Salt Lake City, Hudson averaged eight points per game while shooting 38 percent from the field. In Las Vegas, Hudson played in four games. He averaged three points per game while shooting 40 percent.

Based on his experience in Summer League, Hudson shared that you are really representing yourself rather than the team you play for.

He added that he felt the setup of Summer League was “very selfish.”

“Everybody knows how close they are to living out their NBA dream, so I felt the team chemistry was a little bit off because everyone was trying to prove their own self worth,” Hudson said.

Playing For Beilein

In the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament, Hudson’s Gator career ended in the loss to Michigan, led by head coach John Beilein. As Hudson tries to continue his basketball career in the professional ranks, Beilein and Hudson are now on the same side. Beilein now serves as the head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was present during Hudson’s run with the Cavaliers during Summer League. He was impressed of Beilein’s coaching abilities.

Believing the Hype

Even though Hudson is no longer playing for the Gators, he still has an eye on his former team. Heading into the 2019-20 season, the Gators are a popular pick to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, possibly making it to the Final Four. Hudson believes the hype surrounding the Gators, saying they have a “really good mesh of guys.”

One of the reasons for the hype for the Gators was their acquisition of Virginia Tech grad transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr.

Hudson played with Blackshear at Virginia Tech. He said the question with Blackshear isn’t what can he do, but rather more what he can’t do.