Exclusive | Lakers Peter Suder cherishes competition, might be next undrafted find

LAS VEGAS — When the Lakers hosted Peter Suder for a pre-draft workout, they were drawn to his basketball IQ.His unselfishness. His competitiveness. All — especially the latter — were on display March 6 when Suder and the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks were on the cusp of an undefeated regular season and becoming the only unbeaten team in Division I men’s basketball.The last obstacle in their way? A road matchup against their in-state rival, the Ohio Bobcats, at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio.Suder, the 2026 MAC Player of the Year, didn’t have his typical performance.But he made multiple clutch plays, scoring five of his 13 points during overtime, to help the RedHawks clinch the undefeated regular season, much to the dismay of the fiery crowd of 10,740.“They were talking trash and letting us hear [it] the whole game,” Suder told The California Post. Trash wasn’t just being talked — it was being thrown, too. Wrappers. Beer cans. Any piece of trash in sight. The Ohio fans made their feelings clear toward the RedHawks.

And so did the Miami players, flipping off the fans during the chaotic scene. “We started to get hit in the face with some trash when they’re throwing it at us, and it kind of just came out,” Suder told the Post. Suder’s interaction with the fans went viral as he waved goodbye to the Ohio fans while saying, “F— k you, b——s.”“It was awesome, I’m not going to lie,” Suder told the Post.“I enjoyed it.”As Suder exchanged his red-and-white Miami jersey for the Lakers’ purple-and-gold uniform after signing a two-way contract with the franchise after going undrafted, his competitive nature has continued to be displayed. Even when his shot hasn’t fallen during the Lakers’ summer league slate, which continues Saturday with their Las Vegas summer league semifinals matchup against the Warriors, Suder’s still diving for loose balls. Hustling to create or save possessions.Suder hasn’t shot as efficie...