SMU forward transfer Ja'Heim Hudson departs Auburn visit: 'I loved it'
AUBURN — As Auburn continues to search for another forward to add to its roster, SMU forward transfer Ja’Heim Hudson visited the Tigers’ program on Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday before heading home.
Auburn Live caught up with Hudson upon his departure to talk about the visit, his recruitment and more.
“It was lovely, I loved it,” Hudson said. “This is a wonderful environment, great place to be, so welcoming. That was the best thing, I’ve never been so welcomed like this. You can feel the energy as soon as you step on campus.”
Hudson detailed how Auburn sees his fit within the program.
“They showed me exactly what they want, what they see me doing, they just put it all out in front of me. That’s as real as it gets,” Hudson said.
“You can’t turn that down. I love how they put it right in front of me. That was the best pitch. I’ve dreamed about being on this type of stage and now I’m getting the opportunity. It’s surreal. It’s too good to be true. It’s a great opportunity and I definitely want to take the best route. I want to make the most of it.”
Auburn returns forward Chaney Johnson at the power forward position. With one season left, playing time is certainly on Hudson’s mind.
“I do want to start. I’m telling them I want to start. I want to have a huge role in the winning factor,” Hudson said. “I’m all for competition. Coming, I’m going to put my best foot forward. I’m going to come in and work and my work will show.”
Originally from the state of Georgia, growing up in south Georgia before moving to Atlanta, Hudson is very familiar with the Auburn program.
“You hear about Auburn so much, it should be Auburn instead of Georgia, pretty much,” Hudson said. “Auburn is the place to be for sure.”
Hudson has one year of eligibility remaining after playing two seasons at Georgia State and one at SMU. He visited University of Texas-Arlington previously and plans a visit to Nebraska on Saturday.
Hudson said he wants to make a decision sooner rather than later.
What is Hudson looking for in his next home?
“A winning culture, family, a good environment for real,” Hudson said. “I feel like this is that.”
Hudson is a player Auburn Live mentioned recently as a forward transfer to watch.
In Auburn’s search for another forward to add to the roster, Texas forward transfer Dillon Mitchell visited Auburn on Tuesday and left Wednesday morning. Mitchell already visited Miami and Cincinnati, and might make more visits.
More on Ja’Heim Hudson’s resume
This season at SMU, the 6-7 forward appeared in 31 out of 33 games. He averaged 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while also recording 18 steals and 17 blocked shots. In the first round NIT loss at Indiana State, he scored a season-high 21 points and had four rebounds.
Hudson played for former SMU head coach Rob Lanier during the 2021-22 season, when the Marietta, Ga. native broke out as a true freshman at Georgia State. He appeared in 27 games, starting 12 of them, and averaged five points and 4.6 rebounds.
While at Georgia State, Hudson actually played against Auburn in December of 2022, scoring eight points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Hudson totaled 135 points, 125 rebounds, 23 blocks, and 10 steals this season. He finished the season with five points and five rebounds in the NCAA Tournament against Gonzaga.
In 2022-23, he led the team with 6.9 rebounds per game while scoring 10.1 points per game. He led the team with 22 blocked shots and was third with 27 steals. Hudson started 21-of-28 games played this past season.
As a prep star, he led Wheeler High School to back-to-back state championships as a junior and senior, earning AJC Class AAAAAA All-State First Team honors his senior year as Wheeler finished with a top 25 national ranking.
