Ernest Udeh Jr.'s Rookie Minutes Are Shrinking Fast for the Cavs
Ernest Udeh Jr. is in his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, wearing No. 88 as a 6-9, 266-pound center out of Miami. Through three games this season his playing time has dropped in each outing, from 15.0 minutes down to zero. He is not on the injury report.
By the Cavaliers Nightly Desk · updated 7 d ago01The story of the nightThe Rookie CenterErnest Udeh Jr.
Ernest Udeh Jr. is 22 years old and came to the Cavaliers out of Miami. He's listed at 6-9, 266 pounds, wears No. 88 and plays center, a spot where a rookie has to earn every minute. There's no injury history on him, and he isn't on the current injury report, so his playing time is a coaching decision, not a health issue. Cleveland has no prior NBA season logged for him, so last year's production isn't part of this picture yet. Everything known about him right now comes from these first three games.
02Early-Season UsageUdeh's first three appearances show a rookie fighting for minutes.
Udeh's first three appearances show a rookie fighting for minutes. He logged 15.0 minutes in a loss to Boston on Oct. 8, with 2 points and 4 rebounds. Two days later against Orlando, in a win, he played just 5.2 minutes, scoring 2 points and grabbing 1 rebound. On Oct. 13, also against Orlando, he didn't see the floor in a loss: 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists in 0.0 minutes. The trend across those three games points down, not up.
