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Hudson, a 6-foot-3 guard, is a former Boston Celtics draft pick. Doc Rivers was the coach there when Boston drafted him 58th overall in 2009.

The 30-year-old Hudson has played three seasons in the NBA but has played most recently for the Chinese Basketball Association, where he was a two-time MVP in 2014 and 2015. He's also a three-time All-Star (2012, 2014, 2015).

In playing for Lianoing over 50 games, Hudson averaged 31.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists.

“He was like a big brother,” Hudson told Basketball Insiders. “I felt it was genuine. You’ve got to respect him; he’s one of the greatest players in the league. I was focusing on what he was saying, I didn’t care if it was bad or good.”

Garnett referred to Hudson as “Train,” a nickname demonstrative of the strength Hudson used driving to the basket.
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Hudson gazed upon the building: the Louis Vuitton store.

“He told me to pick out whatever I wanted,” said Hudson. “I was like, ‘Are you serious right now?’ He said, ‘You work hard and I respect you. You help me out a lot.’”

Hudson was shocked. Soon, Garnett began making recommendations. Get a scarf, Garnett offered, it’s cold in Boston and Chicago. (Garnett often wore a designer scarves in his postgame interviews while on the Celtics). The store was Hudson’s for the picking.

The Clippers re-signed guard Lester Hudson to a multi-year contract, the team announced Saturday.
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The Clippers had hoped to re-sign Nate Robinson, who had been signed two 10-day contracts this season, but he never fully healed from a bone bruise to his left knee on March 22 and hasn’t played since.
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Clippers coach Doc Rivers said Robinson was “in the conversation” to be re-signed but was still uncertain about his injured left knee.

“I think it is better,” Rivers said. “Probably not where you’d like it, but it’s better."

“I liked his toughness,” Doc Rivers said. “I like his defense. He has a chance to be a really good defensive player in our program.”
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“Last couple days – it was tough,” Hudson said. “Actually I was asking (myself) what did I do wrong? I stayed around on my own…waiting around.

“… It was back and forth. I was down, I was high. I’m high now – happy.”
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Hudson’s deal includes a partial guarantee for next season.

Hudson averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 steals in three games for the Clippers after signing a 10-day contract March 29. It was the defense that kept Hudson around, and he knows that’s the part of his game the Clippers valued.

“It’s a great group of guys we have, but my mentality was come in and play defense,” Hudson said. “I knew I wasn’t going to be a main scorer like I was overseas, so I wanted to come in and show I can play defense and then you can get into your offense if you get a stop.”

Hudson said he was hoping and praying his chance in the NBA wouldn’t be over. He knew it was possible, but he didn’t know if it would happen.

HUDSON (BALL)HAWK

Lester Husdon has remade himself since Rivers first coached him

Hudson played 16 games for Rivers and the Boston Celtics in 2009, but back then, he was a specialist, a scorer who could heat up in a moment’s notice.

But now in his second stint with Rivers, the veteran journeyman and two-time reigning MVP of the Chinese pro league, Hudson is earning his coach’s and teammates’ trust because of his defense.

“(I do trust him) because he can defend,” Rivers said. “I don’t care about the offense. I’m going to keep saying it over and over again. If we’re on the floor and we need Lester’s offense. ... He’s going to be on the floor with players who can score. We have scoring. What I like about Lester is Lester can really defend, and I think we saw that in the first half.”

Against the Suns, Hudson keyed the bench’s strong play in the first half. He finished the game with 11 points while Austin Rivers sat with an illness, but it was defense that again left an impression.

In the three games Hudson’s played more than a minute, he’s got six steals.

“Lester, we always know that he’s going to get a steal,” Paul said. “He always gets a steal in the backcourt. He pressures the ball really well.”