Robert Woodard has always been proud of his son, Robert Woodard II.
Thursday, the elder Woodard saw Woodard II’s commitment to basketball pay off.
The Mississippi State sophomore standout declared for the NBA Draft Thursday, announcing his intentions on his Twitter account while also thanking MSU fans and his family.
“Definitely always proud,” said the elder Woodard, who also played basketball at Mississippi State and is still Mississippi high school basketball’s all-time leading scorer. “Not even at this point when he says he’s entering the draft (am I prouder). I’ve just always been proud of him because of the young man he’s become.”
As Woodard II typically does before making any kind of public statement, though, he began his letter by thanking God.
“I would like to thank God for the opportunity to play basketball,” Woodard II wrote. “Without him, none of this would be possible.”
Woodard II, a 6-foot-7 forward, has yet to hire an agent and will maintain his eligibility, meaning he still has the option to return to school at a later date depending on the feedback he receives from pro scouts. Returning to school isn’t the mindset he’s entering this process with, though.
“I am going into the draft with the intention of not going back to school,” Woodard II told ESPN in an article published Thursday. “I am maintaining my eligibility because of the uncertainty about the dates and what workouts will look like, but I don’t look at it as testing the waters. I am all in with this thing.”
In the latest NBA mock draft from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Woodard II is projected to go No. 23 overall to the Miami Heat. If selected in the two-round draft, Woodard II would be the first Columbus-born player to be taken in the NBA Draft since Sedric Toney was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in 1985.
Nevertheless, school has always been important to Woodard II, as he was Columbus High’s valedictorian in his graduating class. MSU coach Ben Howland even attributed a poor performance from Woodard II in December against Louisiana Tech to lack of sleep because he was up all night studying for finals. Because of the uncertain future ahead, the Woodards haven’t yet developed a plan for Robert to finish college if he decides to go pro.
“Right now we’re not having conversations about that because we want to see what that process holds,” the elder Woodard said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty at this point. We’re preserving his eligibility and we’ll see what the process holds for us at this time.”
The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25, but it may be pushed back to a later date considering the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 coronavirus. It’s possible there won’t be any NBA combine this year, so teams will have to rely on virtual interviews and game tape while making personnel decisions.
“This whole situation with the coronavirus is unreal,” Woodard II told ESPN. “It’s hard to believe this is going on right now. Being a part of history, it’s still mind boggling … I was expecting to be able to attend the combine and work out for NBA teams.”
In a conference call with reporters on March 30, Howland said he stressed the importance of being a first round pick to Woodard II.
“We fully support Robert and his decision to pursue the NBA Draft process,” Howland said in a statement Thursday. “He’s an outstanding talent that possesses every tool to achieve success at the next level.”
Woodard II had a breakout campaign with the Bulldogs as a sophomore, averaging 11.4 points per game and shooting 45 percent from beyond the arc. He scored in double figures 22 times this season. His athletic frame has drawn hyperbolic comparisons out of Howland, who called Woodard II a “Greek figure” before the year started and said he had “the best body of anyone I’ve coached in 38 years.”
“He’s going to put in the work he has to in order to achieve his goals,” the elder Woodard said. “He knows the task at hand, so he has to be ready for the task.”
He is the second MSU player to enter the NBA Draft this offseason, as Associated Press co-SEC Player of the Year Reggie Perry announced his decision in late March. If Woodard II stays in the NBA Draft mix, MSU will have lost three of its top four scorers from a season ago, including Woodard II, Perry and Tyson Carter (leaving from graduation).
Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.
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