Phoenix Suns Small Forward Jared Dudley, entering his 4th NBA season has become a force on the court as well as in the community. Dudley played a vital role in leading the Phoenix Suns to the 2009-10 Western Conference Finals vs. NBA World Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Dudley emerged as one of the leagues prolific shooters during the 2009-10 season, shooting 46% from the 3pt perimeter during the regular season and 42% during the post season. Along with the development of Dudley’s offensive capabilities, he also gained notoriety for his defensive prowess. During the course of the 2009-10 season Dudley was often deemed the “defensive stopper” and given the responsibility of defending and disrupting NBA stars such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade.
Dudley assisted the Phoenix Suns in producing a stellar performance during the 2009-10 regular season, recording a 54-28 record and fought off both the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets down the stretch to solidify the 3rd seed heading into the playoffs. Although the 2009-10 regular season was a success for Dudley and the Suns, the post season proved to be even more special. Dudley was a key component in leading the underrated Phoenix Suns (predicted to finish in 11th out of 15 Western Conference teams) during their playoff surge.
The 2009-10 NBA playoffs were the first time Dudley experienced the post season in his professional career. Dudley and the Suns began their playoff run by facing the Portland Trailblazers in a best-of-seven series in the first round. During the Portland series Dudley had a breakout performance registering 19 points in just 25 minutes of play in a pivotal game 5, leading the Suns to a victory and clenching the series in the following game 6. After advancing into the 2nd round of the Western Conference Finals, Dudley and Suns were set to face their arch rival San Antonio Spurs. Dudley helped lead the Suns to one of its most dominant playoff series performances in team history by racking up 16 points in a game 4 victory vs. the Spurs and completing a four game sweep to move on to the Western Conference Finals. During the Western Conference Finals vs. the Los Angeles Lakers Dudley produced a 15 point performance and also made his way on to ESPN’s Sports Center Top 10 plays with the spectacular defensive play of stealing the ball from the Lakers Kobe Bryan.
Dudley was the 22nd overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. He was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats, and was specifically handpicked by owner and NBA legend Michael Jordan. During Dudley’s rookie season he quickly learned the ropes of the NBA and became a part of the Bobcats rotation. Dudley became known for his relentless effort on both the offensive and defensive end of the court. Dudley’s work ethic led him to become one of the Bobcats key contributors, earning playing time in 73 games and breaking into the starting rotation 14 times during the 2007-08 NBA season.
Dudley earned the chance to play in the NBA by showcasing his skill-set on the collegiate level. Dudley attended Boston College, which played in both the Big East and ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) during his tenure. During Dudley’s collegiate career he led the Boston Eagles to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and accumulated many honors. Dudley finished his collegiate career posting numbers that placed in in the top ten all-time in Boston College history in Scoring, Rebounds, and Steals. In addition to the accolades Dudley achieved within the Boston College basketball program, he was also named ACC payer of the year at the end of his 2006-07 senior season and was a top candidate for the Naismith Award, which is awarded to the best player in all of college of basketball.
