Smiley adds dynamic guard to roster in Trent Hudgens Jr
Trent Hudgens Jr joins UNC men’s basketball from Santa Clara
By Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com
GREELEY, Colo. – Head coach Steve Smiley added another dynamic guard to the men’s basketball roster with the signing of transfer Trent Hudgens Jr. The 6-2, 175-pound guard comes to Greeley from Phoenix, Arizona via Santa Clara University.
“We’re really excited to welcome Trent Hudgens to the Bears family. Trent fits the bill for what we were looking for with this position; a dynamic guard that can knock down open shots, create shots off the dribble for himself, and create shots for his teammates,” head coach Steve Smiley said. “He’s a proven winner, helping lead Ironwood High School to the Arizona State Championship in 2020 before playing last year at Santa Clara University in the West Coast Conference. Trent is a dynamic, shifty guard that competes on both sides of the ball and will not only help our team right away but will help us for several years. We can’t wait to get Trent to campus to begin working with him in the near future!”
Hudgens was one of the top prep players in the state of Arizona rated as the fourth-best recruit in the state by MaxPreps. He helped lead Ironwood High School to the 2020 state title, the first in school history and made the final four all four years of his high school career. Hudgens scored over 1,000 points in his career and averaged 18.7 points, 4.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game as a senior. The performance earned him first team all-state honors and he was one of eight finalists for the 2019-20 Arizona Republic Player of the Year. It wasn’t just his offense that spoke volumes during his senior season, but defense too as he was the 5A Defensive Player of the Year.
At Santa Clara, he saw limited minutes scoring 1.6 points and 0.8 assists while playing 7.5 minutes a game, in just eight contests.
Hudgens will rejoin former Ironwood High School teammate Bailon Black in the Blue & Gold. Black signed with UNC in November.
What Others Are Saying About Hudgens
Jordan Augustine, Ironwood HS Coach
“Everyone wants to be a dog until they meet a wolf. Trent is a wolf. He has a grit and toughness to him that is special. In addition to being extremely skilled, he is a terrific young man who will have a lot of success in a multitude of ways.”
Devon Greene, AAU Team Harden
“Trent is one of those naturally gifted players that make basketball exciting to watch. What separates him from most of his peers is the willingness to compete at a championship level. He’ll dive on the floor, take charges, hold himself and his teammates accountable. I think that championship mentality paired with his skill set, natural ability, and work ethic make Trent a special player who will be playing this game at a high level for a long time.”
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Ryan Pfeifer
Director of Strategic Communication
O: 970-351-3645 | C: 720-290-8886
#Bears Strong | @Rpfeifer82
