There was a reason Lou Hudson was nicknamed "Sweet Lou." Because the smooth shooting guard earned it.
According to the Associated Press, Hudson died on Friday.
Hudson, the smooth-shooting Hawks star who averaged more than 20 points during 13 NBA seasons, died Friday. He was 69.
He died in Atlanta, where he was hospitalized and listed in grave condition last month after a stroke, the Hawks said.[...]
''Young people today don't know how good Lou Hudson really was,'' Wilkins, a Hall of Famer, told The Associated Press. ''He was a hell of a player. The guy could score with the best in history. He was a phenomenal basketball player.
''He should be a Hall of Famer and it's amazing to me he's not. He was one of the best (shooting) guards and that's a fact. You go back and look at his career and look at the numbers and see what he did and you understand."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Hudson ''represented the Hawks franchise with style and grace.''
''A six-time All-Star, Hudson left an indelible mark on the Hawks and the NBA, both as a player and a person,'' Silver said. ''On behalf of the NBA, I'd like to extend our deepest condolences to Lou's family and friends."
Hudson was a six-time All-Star for Hawks. He was a 6-foot-5 shooting guard that averaged 20.2 points during his career. He played 11 seasons with the Hawks, and finished his career with the Lakers in 1979.
His No. 23 is retired by the Hawks. He was honored with a moment of silence before the Hawks' game on Friday night.
