It looks like the constant criticism from fans has finally led Rob Pelinka into Action mode. Not having made any addition to the Lakers roster throughout the summer, the GM is now assessing several young players to see if they fit the team’s needs. Well, their latest addition in the process is 21-year-old Forward Alex Fudge, who very recently got waived by the Mavericks.

As per their latest announcement, the Purple and Gold franchise has signed Fudge on a presumable Exhibit 10 contract. However, the actual terms of the agreement have not been made public. Surely, many of you might be wondering who Alex Fudge is and what he brings to the table for the Lakers. So, let’s dive right in.

Alex Fudge multi-college star and LeBron James fandom

While the world was getting into the hype of a young kid from Akron named LeBron James as he prepared to enter the league, another future star took his first breath in Jacksonville, Florida on May 6, 2003, to parents Alfred and Leiah Fudge. Growing up around the hoop culture, Alex immediately got hooked on the game and played in his hometown’s Robert E. Lee High School. Taking the basketball scene by storm, he averaged 17.9 points and 12.2 rebounds and even bagged two district championships. Growing up in Florida, he deemed LeBron James his favorite player and obviously, the Miami Heat his favorite franchise.

Dominating in Jacksonville, Fudge became a four-star recruit and took his talents to LSU three years ago. But he struggled among the best college hoopers in the country and could average only 3.3 points as a freshman. Not having much impact at LSU, he switched colleges and joined the Florida Gators as a sophomore. Sure enough, his numbers saw a slight increase as he averaged 5.8 points and nearly five rebounds. Moreover, he displayed his defensive prowess by ranking second on his team in blocked shots. Ready to take the next step, Fudge entered his name in last year’s NBA draft. But the journey only got tougher for the forward.

Alex Fudge’s turbulent NBA journey: From Undrafted to getting waived to re-joining the Lakers

Well, Fudge’s underwhelming college tenure did not impress many scouts at the pro level. As a result, he went undrafted last year and became an unrestricted free agent. However, he did get an opportunity to play eighteen games for the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. Utilizing the opportunity, he averaged an impressive 7.8 points and over five rebounds. Moreover, his defense shone yet again as he used his 6’8 frame to average 1.7 blocks. Even LeBron James noticed his talent and tweeted, “MY GOODNESS FUDGE!!” on his insane highlight dunk last year.

Finally realizing his dream, he got a chance to make his NBA debut with the Lakers last season. But in the four games that he played for limited minutes, he averaged only one point. Unable to find his role in the roster, he was waived by the team to make room for Dylan Windler. Despite the underwhelming performance, the Mavs liked what they saw and signed Fudge on a two-way contract earlier this year. Following the signing, he continued playing in the G League, but this time for the Mavs’ Texas Legends. Suiting up for the team in nine games, he averaged a solid 8.2 points and three rebounds. Sure enough, he even got a chance to play two games on the main roster and had a much better showing than he did with the Lakers. But his 5.5-point average in two games was not enough for him to secure his future in Dallas as he got waived at the beginning of last month.

And now, Fudge is back where his pro basketball journey began as Rob Pelinka has given him another shot at becoming his favorite player, LBJ’s teammate. But there is a high chance that the Lakers just want to use him as a developmental player and continue assessing his progress in the G League. That’s because the Lakers currently do not have an open roster spot and they are unlikely to make room for an unproven player. Moreover, if Fudge has been signed on an Exhibit 10 contract, he could likely have the same fate as Vincent Valerio-Bodon. Yes, Bodon signed a similar deal yesterday and was waived just a day after the signing. Although it may sound odd to you, this method secures a player for the team to keep playing in their G League affiliate. That is until another team offers them a more lucrative contract going forward like the Mavs did to Fudge earlier this year.

While getting signed by the Lakers is a step in the right direction, the job is far from over for Alex Fudge as he still seeks a more secure and lucrative deal from an NBA franchise.