Ryan Hudson @PrepHoopsTN Summer Combine Recapture
Ryan Hudson (Maryville Christian) is an intriguing guard with room to grow and yet his foundation of skills appears encouraging. Standing 5-foot-7 1/2, Ryan competed well against taller and older guards. About half of the attendees are entering their junior or senior seasons. Ryan Hudson, a member of The Maryville Christian School’s Class of 2022, will be a sophomore in August.
- Class of 2022
- 5’7 1/2″ 129 pounds
- Wingspan — 5’6″
- Hand Span — 7.0″
- Hand Length — 7.0″
- 3/4 court sprint — 3.47, 3.58
- Summer Combine Ranking — #26
NBA Stylistic Comparison: 2015 Mavericks J.J. Barea
College Projection: Fringe NAIA, if he grows to 5’10”
Ryan Hudson plays with 7″ long hands. His handspan is over an inch below average adult male (8.5″). There are benefits to smaller hands like better handles and occasionally better shooting touch. Ryan Hudson is a very good ball-handler and possibly a playmaker though he didn’t get to handle the point guard position specifically in the open 5 vs. 5 portion. His shooting touch is good, but there is a detail worth adjusting there.
Hudson shoots on his way up instead at the peak of his leap. Despite his impressive upper body form, Hudson will be unable to get that shot over taller guards without highpointing the release.
Finishing through contact is currently a challenge for Ryan largely because he weighs 129 pounds. Putting on weight is really the only way to solve this problem. It is not that Hudson lacks the bravery or grit to initiate or absorb contact. In fact, Hudson simply lacks the body mass to react and finish. Defenders can exploit this and give him a clean but disruptive shoulder check in the open floor too. Considered one of the sharpest dribblers of the entire Summer Combine, Hudson will be unable to benefit from that handle without the requisite size to fend off physical defenders. For him it is a must to develop muscle and power.
Hudson is decently fast considering his short strides. His 3/4 sprint fit right in the middle of the 2022 prospects in attendance. If you account for his stride length deficiency relative to that pack, then he is speedier than some of his peers.
Considering his work ethic, and his enthusiasm for off-season training, Ryan Hudson is capable of challenging for a starting position at Maryville Christian in his junior season. His ideal position is point guard.