Tag: Alex Fudge

Mavericks sign undrafted rookie Alex Fudge to two-way contract

Fudge is averaging 8.1 points, five rebounds and 1.6 blocks on 47.3% shooting from the field in the G League.

Alex Fudge, who went undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft out of Florida, signed a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, the team announced.

The news was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Fudge signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in July. He made four appearances with the team in the regular season, totaling four points and two rebounds in 14 minutes, before the Lakers waived him on Jan. 6.

The Mavericks were able to sign Fudge to a two-way contract after they upgraded AJ Lawson to a standard contract on Sunday. The team also has Greg Brown III and Brandon Williams signed to two-way contracts.

Fudge has spent the majority of the season in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, averaging 8.1 points, five rebounds and 1.6 blocks on 47.3% shooting from the field in 24 games. He has scored in double figures nine times, including a season-high 16 points on Jan. 3.

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Young Lakers are grateful LeBron James got them their big payday in NBA in-season tournament

A number of young Lakers have said LeBron James wanted to win the NBA Cup in part to help them achieve financial security.

The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA’s first in-season tournament on Saturday by pushing aside the Indiana Pacers 123-109. Although it is fair to question exactly how much weight winning the NBA Cup will carry for a player or franchise, it is safe to say this tourney has been a success for the league.

In addition to raising the level of competition and excitement among players, it has also resulted in a big payday for them. In particular, Lakers players on standard contracts each earned $500,000 while men on two-way contracts netted $250,000 for winning the tourney.

LeBron James, who was named the tourney’s MVP, probably has $500,000 in cash wedged between the cushions of his couch or underneath the seats in his car. But for L.A.’s young players, a six-figure payday means a ton. It means securing their financial future and those of their families, not to mention an opportunity to give back to their communities and help the underprivileged.

A number of these players were grateful for the big bag they secured on Saturday and for James’ help in doing so.

Lakers 3 goals: Alex Fudge must focus on earning playing time

Here are three goals Alex Fudge should focus on heading into his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Alex Fudge enters his rookie season as a two-way player with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 6-foot-9 forward enters the NBA after two years at the collegiate level, where he represented the University of Florida and Louisana State University. 

The Lakers have a solid track record of finding and developing undrafted talent into valuable role players. Fudge will likely hope he’s the latest and likely looks to Austin Reaves’ rapid rise to prominence for inspiration. However, Fudge will need to impress with the South Bay Lakers if he wants a shot of getting any legitimate playing time for the Lakers this season.

As such, in the latest edition of LeBron Wire’s “three goals” series, we dive into potential goals Fudge can work toward in the coming months. After all, earning playing time on an NBA team is difficult; doing it on a contending roster with multiple future Hall of Famers will be daunting.

Lakers’ Alex Fudge pulled up to watch hometown Jaguars’ training camp

Fudge was spotted on the sidelines as the Jaguars practiced in front of 10,000-plus at their home field.

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Alex Fudge returned home recently and pulled up to watch the Jacksonville Jaguars practice as part of their training camp schedule ahead of the 2023 season.

Fudge grew up in Jacksonville and played at Lee High School where he earned 5A first-team All-State honors and won two district championships. He played his freshman year of college at LSU before transferring to Florida for this past season.

The 20-year-old was spotted on the sidelines at EverBank Stadium on Saturday as Trevor Lawrence & Co. practiced in front of 10,000-plus at their home field. Fudge even reunited with linebacker Dequan Jackson, who also played at Lee High School.

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Fudge, who went undrafted this year, averaged 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds last season with the Gators on 39.7% shooting from the field in 32 games. He registered two double-doubles and ranked 17th in the SEC in blocked shots (25).

The 6-foot-9 forward debuted with the Lakers in summer league, totaling 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists, five blocks and two steals in six games between Sacramento and Las Vegas. He produced his best game on July 7 with seven points.

Fudge signed a two-way contract with the Lakers on July 26. He will split his time between L.A. and the South Bay Lakers in the G League and is eligible to spend no more than 50 games in the NBA.

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Former Gator forward gets two-way deal with Los Angeles Lakers

Two former Gators will share the court for another season now that Alex Fudge has signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Former Florida forward Alex Fudge left school early to start his professional career, and that gamble seems to be paying off. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Fudge and the Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a two-way contract for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

Fudge signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers as an undrafted free agent, allowing him to play in the NBA Summer League. While he averaged just 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds over six appearances, Fudge’s one block per game and overall defensive prowess impressed enough to earn the last two-way deal on the roster.

Former Gator center Colin Castleton is also on a two-way deal with the Lakers, so the two will share the court for at least another season.

Fudge transferred to Florida after just one year at LSU. As a sophomore, he averaged 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds over 32 games and 11 starts. He showed glimpses of elite offensive talent, but his game will likely need some work before being ready for the NBA.

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Former Florida forward Alex Fudge signs two-way contract with Lakers

Fudge debuted with the Lakers in summer league, averaging three points and 1.5 rebounds in six games.

Former Florida forward Alex Fudge, who went undrafted this year, signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, the team announced.

In a related move, the Lakers waived two-way forward Cole Swider.

Fudge, 20, averaged 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds last season on 39.7% shooting from the field in 32 games as a sophomore with the Gators. He registered two double-doubles and ranked 17th in the SEC in blocked shots (25).

The 6-foot-9 Fudge debuted with the Lakers in summer league, averaging three points and 1.5 rebounds in six games between Sacramento and Las Vegas. He produced his best game on July 7 with seven points.

Fudge will split his time next season between Los Angeles and the South Bay Lakers in the G League. He is eligible to spend no more than 50 games in the NBA and will earn a flat salary equal to 50% of the minimum salary applicable to a player with zero years of service.

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Lakers waive Cole Swider and sign Alex Fudge to a two-way contract

The Lakers have let go of one undrafted forward while adding another one to their roster.

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The NBA is in the quiet part of its offseason, but the Los Angeles Lakers made two roster moves on Wednesday.

First, they waived undrafted forward Cole Swider, who had been on a two-way contract. He has shown considerable potential as a 3-point shooter, but the team is presumably disappointed in the other facets of his game, particularly his defense.

Waiving Swider opened a two-way roster spot for the Lakers, and they signed Alex Fudge, another undrafted forward, to a two-way deal.

Fudge played two seasons of college basketball, one with Louisiana State University and another at the University of Florida.

Los Angeles originally signed Fudge to an Exhibit 10 deal. Other than some occasional shot-blocking, he didn’t produce much during NBA Summer League play earlier this month.

But the moves could be another sign executive Rob Pelinka values players that contribute on both ends of the floor, particularly the defensive end.

2023 Lakers summer league player grades: Alex Fudge

A final look at Alex Fudge’s performance during NBA Summer League play for the Lakers this year.

The 2023 NBA Summer League is in the books, and it gave a number of players the opportunity to flash their potential and possibly earn a spot in the big leagues.

The Lakers had a mix of can’t-miss players, prospects looking to get some playing time with Los Angeles and those fighting for a spot somewhere.

Alex Fudge, an undrafted 6-foot-8 forward out of the University of Florida, was one of those players looking to use his spot on the summer Lakers as an audition for a roster spot down the line.

The Lakers’ summer league schedule is set

Get ready to watch the Lakers’ youngsters in this year’s summer league, which starts on July 3.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have intriguing young players taking part in summer league play this year.

There is guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, who was selected with the No. 17 pick in Thursday’s draft, and forward Maxwell Lewis, the No. 40 selection. Los Angeles will have several undrafted free agents also taking part: guard D’Moi Hodge, forward Alex Fudge, big man Colin Castleton and guard Damion Baugh.

Two players who were rookies this past season will also play in the summer league: wing Max Christie and forward Cole Swider.

The Lakers’ schedule for summer league play in Las Vegas is set (all times are in Pacific Daylight Time).

In addition, the Lakers will play in two games as part of the California Classic prior to heading to Las Vegas. They will face the Miami Heat on July 3 at 3 p.m. PDT and the San Antonio Spurs two days later at 5 p.m. PDT.

The contest against the Spurs could allow Lakers fans to get a first look at 7-foot-2 Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick who has been described as a generational talent and the most hyped rookie since at least LeBron James.

Two former Gators sign with Los Angeles Lakers as UDFA

Two former Gators were scooped up by the Los Angeles Lakers organization after going undrafted.

Neither [autotag]Colin Castleton[/autotag] nor [autotag]Alex Fudge[/autotag] heard their name called on Thursday night, June 22, as the 2023 NBA draft came and went, but both signed contracts with the Los Angeles Lakers by the end of the night.

Castleton is joining the storied franchise on a two-way contract, which is a guaranteed deal with an NBA franchise to play for its pro team and its G-League affiliate. Dan Woike of the LA Times reported the news first. Although any significant NBA  playing time is unlikely, Castleton can work his way up from the unofficial 16th or 17th spot on the roster.

Fudge is on an Exhibit 10 contract, which can turn into at two-way contact but must be done before the start of the regular season, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. He’ll have less job security than Castleton with the one-year deal not being guaranteed. Fudge can join the team for training camp and will make around $50,000 if he spends more than two months with the G-League affiliate South Bay Lakers.

Both forwards were key pieces of Florida’s starting lineup in 2022-23. Castleton, a fifth-year player who transferred from Michigan after one season, crossed the 1,000-point threshold as a Gator and was a three-time All-SEC forward. His final days in Gainesville were spent on the bench due to injury, though.

Fudge only spent one year at Florida after transferring from LSU. He broke into the starting lineup after injuries forced changes. As a scorer, there’s work to be done, but Fudge is a solid defensive player with incredible athleticism. He’ll put a few players on a poster in the G-League, assuming he gets the chance.

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