Hudson Greer, one of the highest-ranked recruits in Creighton men’s basketball history, will redshirt this season.
The 6-foot-7, 215-pound wing from Lakeway, Texas, finished at No. 47 in the 2025 class according to the 247Sports Composite, and his score ranked him third in Creighton history during the recruiting websites era behind only Jackson McAndrew and Arthur Kaluma. Greer spent his senior year at prep powerhouse Monteverde Academy in Florida.
The freshman threw down a dunk, grabbed four rebounds and blocked a shot in 11 minutes in Creighton’s exhibition win against Iowa State, then hit a 3 and grabbed a board in 10 minutes in the Bluejays’ exhibition win over Colorado State. Greer sat out Creighton’s regular season opener against South Dakota and Coach Greg McDermott said he and his staff were having ongoing discussions with Greer and his family about the prospect of a redshirt year. After Monday’s practice, McDermott said they would have to make a final decision soon.
“After numerous conversations with Hudson and his family, we have mutually agreed that redshirting is the best path for his future development,” McDermott said in a release. “It was a very difficult decision, as Hudson is a very talented and competitive player that could impact winning this season. I’m proud of Hudson for choosing to invest in his development. We believe that his talent, work ethic and competitive nature will lead to an incredible career in a Bluejay uniform. Our staff is already working with him on a daily basis to sharpen his skill set and continue to develop his body. I’m certain that this decision will lead to an impactful role in our program next season. We couldn’t be more excited that he is a Bluejay.”
Rather than a lack of readiness to play, the decision seems to be driven by the depth on the team and plethora of experienced players on the wing. McDermott and his staff operated during the offseason as if Fedor Žugić would not have any eligibility remaining based on an earlier ruling by the NCAA. The staff chose to dip back into the transfer portal for insurance, landing former Howard standout freshman Blake Harper on April 27. Two months later, after an extensive appeal process, the NCAA granted Žugić two more season of eligibility.
Greer performed well during offseason workouts and preseason practices, showing off his athleticism and ability to rebound. However, transfers like former Miami guard Austin Swartz made significant strides throughout the fall. Add in Iowa transfer Josh Dix and returning starter Jasen Green and Creighton has a serious minutes crunch on the wing. The alternative to redshirting would have been to continue fighting for playing time in the hopes of beating out somebody for a spot in the rotation, with the potential existing of burning a year while only receiving spot minutes if he didn’t win a spot.
By redshirting, Greer will focus on development rather than preparing himself to play every week. He’ll have the opportunity to replicate opposing teams’ top perimeter scorer in practice, getting plenty of reps playing against Creighton’s starters. At Monday’s practice, Greer made the most of that opportunity with a flurry of 3s and interior finishes on the scout team. He also stayed after practice for an extra workout, another added benefit without the need to keep legs fresh for the upcoming game. Creighton and Greer have the option to burn the redshirt at any time in case of injury.
Adding a wrinkle to the decision is the “five years to play five seasons” rule being discussed in NCAA circles. It appears the change to the standard “five to play four” with medical hardship and other special exceptions won’t pass before the 2026-27 season, but it could become reality at some point during Greer’s career, which would result in burning a season of eligibility for Greer and others who choose to redshirt anyway — unless previously redshirted players are granted a grandfather clause like we saw with the roster limit ruling.
Greer will redshirt alongside fellow freshman Aleksa Dimitrijevic. McDermott shared the news about the Serbian 7-footer after the South Dakota game, making the decision official on Monday with a release.
No. 23 Creighton (1-0) is in Spokane to face No. 19 Gonzaga on Tuesday night. While Greer, Dimitrijevic and Josh Townley-Thomas (out six to eight weeks following surgery) won’t be available, Green is set to make his season debut after missing the opener while Turkish first-year big man Kerem Konan is also eligible to play for the first time.
