Women’s basketball coach Wendell Hudson has been making history since he first came to the Capstone to be Alabama’s first black scholarship athlete in any sport.
Forty-one years later, Hudson will lead the Alabama women’s basketball team into a renovated Foster Auditorium, a landmark that once stood as a symbol of racism in the South.
The Birmingham native and Parker High School alumnus played for C.M. Newton during his time for the Crimson Tide.
“I actually had dinner with Coach Newton the other day,” Hudson said. “He actually found me in high school by accident. He was scouting talent at a nearby high school, and after the game he asked around if there were any other high schools in the area. Someone told him if he wanted real talent to go to Parker High.”
Going to Parker ended up being one of the best decisions Newton made in his career. He found a back-to-back Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Player in Hudson, who won the award in 1972 and 1973.
Hudson does not hesitate to say great things about his experience at Alabama, but there were minor setbacks before the team began to succeed.
“The hardest part was dealing with certain classes,” Hudson said. “Some professors had taught their class the same way and used the same terms for years, and didn’t think anything of it when they continued when I was there. Sometimes I heard certain terms being used and I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me?’ But that was only a few. There were classes where the professor wanted me there and it was great. The good outweighed the bad.”
Once Hudson stepped on the court and showed the fans his immense talent, he was accepted into the Alabama family.
“Once I got out on the court and the team started to succeed, people changed their minds,” Hudson said. “They said, ‘Hey, if you’re a part of that, you’re a part of us.’ People want their sports programs to succeed and accept those that help them do that.”
Success for Hudson included leading the SEC in rebounding in 1972 and in scoring in 1973. Hudson was a great scorer throughout his stay at the Capstone, including averaging 19.2 points per game throughout his career and a trademark underhanded free throw shot.
“I broke my wrist my sophomore year, and had some serious trouble with free throws afterwards,” Hudson said. “So, I started using the granny shot, and it worked well for me. People would ask me, ‘You don’t really use the granny shot, do you?’ and I would tell them, ‘Yes I do.’ It worked, and it helped me score, so it didn’t bother me.”
After finishing his career at Alabama and serving as an assistant under Newton for five years, Hudson made coaching stops all across the South, including Baylor, North Alabama and Ole Miss before returning to Alabama as an assistant athletic director and now head women’s basketball coach.
Next season, Hudson will lead the women’s basketball team to its new home at the renovated Foster Auditorium, where, on June 11, 1963, then-Gov. George Wallace stood in front of the door to try to keep Vivian Malone Jones and James Hood from integrating the University.
Hudson is excited to make history once again.
“It’s going to be a great experience,” Hudson said. “I played an awful lot of basketball in Foster, back when it was like a rec center. I’m glad to be a part of Alabama history, but where we’re going is Alabama history, too.”
Hudson knows more than anyone else the significance of this event, but he won’t worry his players with it.
“I don’t think they know the importance of it,” Hudson said. “They may look back on it and realize what they were a part of, but right now, they’re not thinking about it. Besides, most of the time I mention Foster Auditorium, I have to talk about the scene in ‘Forrest Gump.’”
