MARTIN, Tenn. - Lester Hudson, two-time All-American who led The University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball team to its first-ever Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2008-09, was selected by the Boston Celtics with the 28th pick (58th overall) in the second round in the NBA Draft, held tonight in the theater of Madison Square Garden in New York City.

"I'm blessed," Hudson said. "I'm going to go out and work hard. This is the best spot for me and it's a great opportunity for me to make the team."

The two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year will join the Celtics, who spent their lone pick in the 2009 draft on Hudson. The Celtics won the NBA championship in 2007-08 and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals this past season.

"He's a terrific shooter and a physical scorer," said Danny Ainge, the Celtics president of basketball operations on Twitter. "He can shoot over the top of the defense.

"He's a tough kid," said Ainge.

Hudson becomes the first-ever player from UT Martin to be selected in the NBA Draft, after a remarkable two-year run that left him just two points shy of becoming the school's all-time leading scorer, a record held by four-year player Mike Meschede (1984-88).

The Memphis native blossomed onto the college scene two years ago after he scored 35 points in his first collegiate game against eventual national runner-up Memphis. Just two games later, the legend of Hudson grew to spectacular heights as he became the first player in NCAA Division-I history to accumulate a quadruple-double (25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals).

After Hudson led the Skyhawks to its first ever OVC tournament semifinals appearance, he tested the waters at the NBA pre-draft camps in Orlando. After much deliberation, Hudson decided to return to school for his senior season, which prompted many analysts to choose UT Martin as the preseason pick to win the OVC in 2008-09.

As many experts had predicted with Hudson at the helm, the Skyhawks program was taken to different heights. The Skyhawks matched a program record with 11 straight wins and at one point had won 17 of 18 contests during a crucial midseason stretch en route to an OVC regular season title.

Throughout the season, Hudson accomplished several individual accolades, including reaching the 1,000 point plateau in just his 40th career game. Hudson also was the only player in all of Division-I to score 20 or more points in every game through the season's first 26 games. The season ended with Hudson trailing only Davidson's Stephen Curry for the nation's scoring title.

Hudson led the Skyhawks to their first-ever postseason appearance as a Division-I member, an 87-82 loss at Auburn in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. In that game, Hudson capped off his spectacular collegiate career with 33 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists against the SEC school.

For his efforts, Hudson became just the 11th player in the 60-year history of the OVC to repeat as back-to-back Player of the Year, and the first in 13 years to win the award two straight seasons.

The 6-2 guard ended his two-year career with seven single-season UT Martin records, and three OVC single-season records - including most points in a season (880 in 2008-09). Hudson ranks in nine UT Martin career top-10 lists, including being the all-time leader in field goals made and field goals attempted.

"What I see on the court, how hard he competes and instigates physical play on the court," said Ainge. "We think he's got a chance."

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