The Paper's reporter Ma Zuoyu
11 years of spring and autumn, 419 games, 15823 minutes of playing time, in exchange for 11842 points, 2940 rebounds and 2168 assists... That's the shiny stats That Lester Hudson handed over when he became the "CBA All-Time Scoring Champion."
On January 20, the 32nd round of the CBA regular season ended, and the Shandong men's basketball team won the 111-73 victory over the Jiangsu men's basketball team - Hudson scored 24 points in the game, surpassing Yi Jianlian's 11839 points and becoming the "first person in history" of the CBA scoring list with 11842 points.
In fact, just before winning this weighty title, Hudson was already the first point scorer, the first three-point shot, the first three-point shot and the first total number of shots in the CBA regular season.
"The CBA has redefined my life, China has given me the opportunity to play, so I'm going to reciprocate my best." In Hudson's own view, the CBA league is the most important chapter in his inspirational story — a place that leaves behind his frustrations, disobedience, rise, ecstasy, and love and dedication to basketball.
Hudson shows muscle.
Nothing, fortunately I could play basketball
Against Jiangsu Kendia, the Shandong men's basketball team won very easily, and the game lost suspense from the second quarter. But all the Shandong players were very excited because they were looking forward to a special moment.
With 4:52 left in the final quarter, the gap had widened to 32 points, but Hudson remained on the field. When his teammates stepped forward to complete the cover for him, Hudson deftly changed direction, shook off his opponent, jumped high outside the three-point line, and the basketball drew a wonderful arc in the air, and entered the net... At that moment, the bench of the Shandong men's basketball team boiled over.
Hudson surpassed Yi Jianlian to become the all-time scoring champion of the CBA – behind this glory is Hudson's reserved industry and perseverance in the CBA league for the past 11 years.
"This honor means a lot to me, and it means a lot to me to be able to break the record for more than 10 years." After the game, Hudson, sitting in the press room, summed up his past in the CBA and even his basketball life in a few words.
Hudson played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Zou Zheng)
"I'm from Memphis, I was born with nothing and no money, but I was lucky I could play basketball."
Hudson, who came from a poor family, entered the NBA league with the 58th pick, and for almost 10 years, the draft's "crane tail" lived a "wandering" career in the league, he has joined the Celtics, Wizards, Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Clippers and other teams, but never played a full season.
With the mentality of "coming to China to try his luck", he joined the then Guangdong men's basketball team in the middle of the league and won the CBA championship with the team in his first season. However, a championship did not smooth his basketball career in China.
Since then, in Guangdong, Qingdao and Xinjiang, Hudson has always missed the championship, and in front of him is the "CBA first foreign aid" Marbury at that time.
With the image of a "frustrated person", Hudson joined the Liaoning men's basketball team in 2015, and the "wandering player" who had been twisting and turning all the way finally found his belonging.
Hudson is a meritorious foreign aid to the Liaoning men's basketball team. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Pan Yulong
Liaoning has achieved a period of "Mabury-style" brilliance in 5 years
"If you think about it, I've been to the Finals 4 times in the last 5 years and lost the first three times, so this title means too many things to me and I'm very happy to be able to win the first CBA championship for Liaoning."
In 2018, it was a glorious moment that truly belonged to Hudson. He led the young Guo Allen, Liu Zhixuan, He Tianju and Li Xiaoxu, plus the "kung fu panda" Han Dejun in the inner line, to avenge Beijing Shougang and Guangdong men's basketball team all the way in the playoffs, and finally swept Zhejiang Guangsha 4-0 in the finals, helping the Liaoning men's basketball team, which stood up to the "millennium old two", to realize the dream of championship after 23 years.
In that year's playoffs, Hudson averaged 39.5 minutes in 13 games, averaging 29.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, and could also deliver 2 steals, shooting 45.3% from the field.
After the final whistle of that season's final game, the Liaoning Stadium, which can accommodate 12,000 people, fell into a carnival, and the picture of Liaoning players throwing Finals MVP Hudson high into the air is still a classic moment in the history of the CBA Finals.
"On the pitch, I always have confidence and I keep suggesting to myself that even if I lose a ball or two, I have to keep focusing on the game and not getting discouraged. Thank you to my coaches and teammates for trusting me and keeping me on track. ”
This is the real feeling of Hudson when he was in the Liaoning men's basketball team, he led a group of young players forward, is the brother and mentor - Marbury in Beijing Shougang to guide Fang Shuo and Zhai Xiaochuan, Hudson also taught his skills to Guo Allen and Zhao Jiwei in Liaoning.
Song Xiaobao and Hudson.
According to the Liaoning Daily, in training, as long as Guo Allen and Zhao Jiwei make undeserved mistakes in handling the ball, Hudson will immediately come forward and show them how to deal with it.
"Hudson is my idol and teacher." Zhao Jiwei once said, "Playing with Hudson, his experience and grasp of the timing of the pass have benefited me a lot." ”
That is, in the 5 years in Liaoning, fans liked to call Hudson "Liaoning Basket Song Xiaobao", and kept cheering for him and cheering for him.
"Before coming to China, I never imagined that I would be loved by so many fans, and I am especially grateful to them." Hudson said.
Hudson (left) celebrates scoring with He Tianju. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gang
"I'm going to stay healthy and keep playing"
Unfortunately, real-life stories are not as beautiful as fairy tales. Just as Marbury and Beijing Shougang can't end with a perfect ending, so does Hudson and the Liaoning men's basketball team.
In late June 2019, the Liaoning men's basketball team officially announced that "after friendly consultations between the two sides, the Liaoning men's basketball team will not renew the contract of foreign aid Hudson". That summer, Hudson took off Liaoning's No. 14 jersey. Subsequently, he switched to the Shandong men's basketball team.
Just this season, when the Liaoning men's basketball team brought in former Spurs veteran Simmons, the team gave Simmons the No. 14 jersey. The decision also caused hudson to be extremely dissatisfied, and he "shelled" his old club on social networks: "You all have such disrespect for me, no one can do what I can do in the number 14 shirt." ”
Hudson posted questioning the Liaoning men's basketball team.
Many fans are upset for Hudson, of course, there are also some fans for the Liaoning men's basketball team - the season when the Liaoning men's basketball team won the championship, Hudson is already a "thirty-year-old man", and his physical fitness and physical fitness are not as good as before.
"In the summer, I do a lot of training with my trainers, and even when I'm on vacation, I contact my friends to train on the basketball court and in the strength room. Over the past few summers, I have been training no matter where I am. ”
Hudson once revealed in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that in order to be able to play a high-level game on the field, he spends more and more time to maintain his form, "I hope to be able to do my best to maintain my form, I want to continue to play, the longer the better." ”
Yi Jianlian defended Hudson. Infographic
Hudson, who will turn 37 in almost half a year, is still an important backcourt core in the Shandong men's basketball team - this season, he averaged 30 minutes per game, with 23.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists, and among all the players, his scores still rank in the top 20 in the league.
More importantly, Hudson does not intend to slow down his pace of progress, "in the future I hope to continue to maintain my form and continue to play good games." ”
In every subsequent game, Hudson is rewriting the history of the CBA, and the inspirational story of the "CBA first foreign aid" and Chinese professional basketball continues to be written.
Editor-in-Charge: Ascendas
Proofreader: Ding Xiao