Lou Hudson
Encyclopedia
Louis Clyde Hudson is a former NBA basketball
player.
, Hudson was selected by the St. Louis Hawks
with the 4th pick of the 1966 NBA Draft
. He was named to the 1967 NBA All-Rookie Team
after averaging 18.4 points per game in his first season. At 6'5", Hudson could play as either a guard or a forward, and he had a long and successful professional career, scoring 17,940 points in 13 seasons (1966–1979). He was a six time All-Star with the Hawks (who moved to Atlanta
in 1968), and he earned the nickname "Sweet Lou" for his smooth and effective jump shot. Hudson's jersey number has been retired by both the Atlanta Hawks and the University of Minnesota.
, where became a real estate investor and served on the Park City city council in the early 1990s.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9901E6DE1139F937A35757C0A9629C8B63 He created a recreation basketball league where he served as coach for 20 years before suffering a major stroke on a Park City ski slope in February 2005. http://minnesota.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=598216&SR=TSN.He now makes public appearances as an "ambassador" for the "Power to End Stroke" organization. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3047341
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
NBA career
Lou graduated from Dudley High School in Greensboro. After starring at the University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, Hudson was selected by the St. Louis Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
with the 4th pick of the 1966 NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
. He was named to the 1967 NBA All-Rookie Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
after averaging 18.4 points per game in his first season. At 6'5", Hudson could play as either a guard or a forward, and he had a long and successful professional career, scoring 17,940 points in 13 seasons (1966–1979). He was a six time All-Star with the Hawks (who moved to Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
in 1968), and he earned the nickname "Sweet Lou" for his smooth and effective jump shot. Hudson's jersey number has been retired by both the Atlanta Hawks and the University of Minnesota.
Post NBA Career
After his NBA career ended in 1979, Hudson sold restaurant equipment in Atlanta and briefly worked as a radio announcer for the Atlanta Hawks. In 1984, Hudson relocated to Park City, UtahPark City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
, where became a real estate investor and served on the Park City city council in the early 1990s.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9901E6DE1139F937A35757C0A9629C8B63 He created a recreation basketball league where he served as coach for 20 years before suffering a major stroke on a Park City ski slope in February 2005. http://minnesota.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=598216&SR=TSN.He now makes public appearances as an "ambassador" for the "Power to End Stroke" organization. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3047341
Honors
- In 1994, Hudson's #14 jersey was retired by the University of Minnesota http://minnesota.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=598216&SR=TSN.
- In 2002, Hudson was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of FameGeorgia Sports Hall of FameThe Georgia Sports Hall of Fame is located in Macon, Georgia. It is the largest state sports hall of fame in America at .-Exhibitions:The Hall of Fame houses over of exhibit space broken down into sections including Hall of Fame Inductees, High School, collegiate sports, Olympic, Paralympic,...
. - In 2003, Hudson was named "Humanitarian of the Year" by the XNBA, the retired NBA player's association http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9901E6DE1139F937A35757C0A9629C8B63.