Alex Fudge will enter 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 name and will look 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 next season.
Buy Lakers TicketsAs such, in the latest edition of LeBron Wire’s “three goals” series, we will dive into some potential goals Fudge can set for himself and 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.
Earn some playing time
First and foremost, Fudge’s primary goal should be to earn a role within the Lakers rotation. We’re not talking about garbage time minutes here. We’re talking about a legitimate bench role that sees the rookie forward playing against NBA talent nightly. Or at least, consistently enough that there is plenty of data to judge his performance levels and improvements throughout the season.
However, Fudge’s quickest route to earning playing time will be to impress in the G-League. If the rookie forward can dominate or make his presence felt on both sides of the court, the Lakers will likely want to look closer.
Defense, defense, defense
Everybody wants to be on a highlight reel or hit the go-ahead basket in a tight game. Yet, the reality is that for most NBA players, sticking to their role and contributing outside of boxscore is the best way for them to become key members of the rotation. For Fudge, that means focusing on improving his defensive game.
That could mean Fudge looks to become a reliable switch defender, or he assumes the challenge of guarding opponents’ best wing talents. Regardless of how he approaches it, Fudge should see the defensive side of the court as his best path toward NBA playing time next season.
Rebounding is a skill
Sticking with the defensive theme, rebounding should be another central focus for Fudge. If the rookie forward can establish himself as a force on the glass and also provide upside when contesting shooters, there could be a role for him on the end of the Lakers bench.
Fudge enters the NBA, averaging 3.9 rebounds per game during his collegiate career, so he certainly has some work to do if he wants to become a reliable rebounder at the NBA level.
