The Mississippi State men’s basketball roster turnover continues.
One day after Robert Woodard II declared for the NBA Draft, junior point guard Nick Weatherspoon also announced his intentions to go pro on his Twitter account.
“Thank you MSU,” Weatherspoon said in a tweet. “#Hailstate for everything always a Bulldog at heart. #0 out.”
A Mississippi State official confirmed Weatherspoon’s departure Friday morning.
“I want to thank Nick for his contributions and hard work in helping build our program over the last three seasons,” MSU coach Ben Howland said in a statement. “We wish him the best as he pursues his pro career playing the game he loves.”
Weatherspoon, the brother of former MSU standout Quinndary Weatherspoon, missed the season’s first 10 games due to suspension, but played in 21 games and averaged 11.6 points per game.
Similar to former MSU guard Lamar Peters last year, Weatherspoon is committed to the pro process, and will not return to school even if he gets feedback from pro scouts that he will not be selected in the NBA Draft. If that is the case, he will try to latch on with a G League team or play overseas.
Howland will have some work to do to replicate his fourth straight 20-win season with the Bulldogs, as MSU has now lost its top four scorers from last season (assuming Woodard II stays in the NBA Draft).
Weatherspoon’s departure also continues a plethora of MSU roster turnover, making him the fourth player seeing meaningful minutes to depart the program in addition to Woodard II, Reggie Perry (NBA Draft) and Tyson Carter (graduation). Nine players total have left the Bulldogs this offseason.
Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.
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