Small College Basketball creates 'Trevor Hudgins Award'

LAKELAND, Fla. (KSNT) - Trevor Hudgins is a household name in Northeast Kansas, Missouri and is becoming one with the Houston Rockets.

Now, he's forever a name in small-college basketball. Small College Basketball, LLC announced its new Trevor Hudgins Award on Friday. The award is given annually to the senior with the best overall small-college basketball career.

Having someone's entire career tied to an award with your name on it is a lot. Hudgins is humbled with the honor.

"At the end of my career, I thought I might get into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame, but I never thought I would have an award after me," Hudgins said. "I'm just still shocked. I think it's crazy. I graduated, what, three years ago? There's already an award after me."

John McCarthy, a writer for Small College Basketball, called Hudgins two months before the announcement to talk about the committee's award idea.

"I was like, 'Wow. I'm humbled. Of course you can name an award after me,'" Hudgins said.

Hudgins' won three DII national championships at Northwest Missouri State and is a two-time NABC DII player of the year winner. However, the award should go beyond someone's stats, he says.

"It should be the overall character of the player," Hudgins said. "Just the poise that they have on the court. The leadership they have with their teammates. The stats can be the stats. Of course, it's nice to have good stats, but everything else that is around the game, too."

The Rockets signed Hudgins to a two-way contract shortly after the 2022 NBA draft. He got called up from the G-League in February and is still with the Rockets.