The Clippers have signed Lester Hudson to a multi-year deal, the team announced on Saturday.
Hudson was all smiles on Saturday with the new deal. After his original 10-day contract expired, the Clippers took several days to figure out if they were going to sign him or Nate Robinson. During that time, Hudson said he wondered what he did wrong and stayed at a hotel in Los Angeles, just in case.
"It was a little back and forth. I was down. I was high," Hudson said. "I'm happy right now."
Hudson is averaging 2.3 points and 1.7 steals for the Clippers. He was signed by the Clippers to a 10-day contract on March 29.
Hudson was drafted by Boston in 2009 when Doc Rivers was coaching there. Asked how he thought he can best help the Clippers, Hudson said: "It's a great group of guys. My mentality was to come in and play defense. I knew I wasn't going to be main scorer like I was overseas. I wanted to come in and show I could play defense and then you can get into the offense. The second unit needs to come in and play defense and get stops."
The 30-year-old Hudson most recently played for the Chinese Basketball Association, where he was a two-time MVP (in 2014 and 2015) and three-time All-Star.
Asked if fans chanted "MVP!" for him, Hudson said: "Of course, for the last couple of years. It was great. Growing up you always want to be the MVP. You look up to Michael Jordan, Kobe, and they got MVP. You want to be like that, just not in the NBA it was in the CBA. It was great."
Hudson last played for Liaoning, where he averaged 31.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists.
The Clippers (53-26) have just three games remaining in the regular season, with a big game against Memphis tonight and their last regular season home game Monday against Denver. The Clippers finish the regular season in Phoenix on Tuesday.
Hudson isn't expected to play much during the postseason, but he could provide depth over the next few games, especially if Rivers decides to rest any players.
"I was hoping and praying and things like that," Hudson said of being signed. "I didn't know it would be possible. It's possible. I'm thankful and blessed."
