Mississippi State Basketball: Prime Draft Destinations for Robert Woodard II

Mississippi State Basketball: Prime Draft Destinations for Robert Woodard II

When 4-star recruit, two-time State Champion, and two-time Gatorade player of the year Robert Woodard II committed and then signed with Mississippi State, he, like Reggie Perry, was a Bulldog legacy. Mississippi State had just secured one of the best players to come out of Columbus in years and the #18 ranked class when you add DJ Stewart to the list.

Woodard II played an important reserve role during his freshman season. As a sophomore, he burst on the scene as a combo guard-forward with three-point range. Woodard II would declare for the 2020 NBA Draft along with Reggie Perry.

Woodard II, at 6’7, 230 pounds, projects as a small forward in the NBA. He has the skill set to play shooting guard and the toughness to play some power forward if needed. I will take a look at the teams I feel Woodard II will be a good fit for.

Where Mock Drafts Have Robert Woodard II Being Drafted

Reggie Perry was the scoring and rebounding leader for Mississippi State last year. When it comes to the NBA, some have Woodard projected higher than Perry. Woodard doesn’t have the experience of a pre-draft process as Perry went through last year.

The good news is there is a chance that Mississippi State could have two potential first-round draft picks.  Mississippi State hasn’t had two first-round draft picks since 1996 when the Pacers selected Erick Dampier at #10, and the Knicks selected Dontae Jones at #21.

Woodard II has been listed in several mock drafts as either a first or second-round pick. Noah Rubinstein of The Smoking Cuban has him going #31 to the Mavericks, and NBADraftroom.com has him pegged at #22 to the Nuggets.

Wherever Woodard II is selected, he will bring athleticism and toughness. He will help any team that decides to take a chance on drafting him.

Dallas Mavericks  2nd Round #31

The Mavericks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Clippers. They need to add a defender and scoring ability off the bench to compete with the depth of teams in the West and hopefully overtake the Rockets in the Southwest.

I agree with The Smoking Cuban on Woodard being a fit with the Mavericks. The Mavericks have stars Luka Donacic and Kristof Porzingas and a great coach in Rick Carlisle.

Woodard II also has time to develop being veteran small forwards Dorrian Finney-Smith and Justin Jackson. The Mavericks are a team that shoots many threes, so Woodard’s talent shooting the three would be utilized.

Portland Trailblazers 2nd Round #46

The Trailblazers were the number eight seed in the western conference playoffs. They were swiftly ushered out in the first round by the eventual champion Lakers. If the Trailblazers want to compete with the Lakers and the rest of the west, they will have to continue to add players who can score and defend.

Woodard II can do both, and he also has time to develop. He would join another former Bulldog turned Duke Blue Devil and Mississippi native Rodney Hood on the Trailblazers roster. The Trailblazers have a core of Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, and Carmelo Anthony should he resign.

Woodard II fits here because he can play multiple positions, and adding another consistent defender and a scoring threat to your team is always a plus.

New York Knicks 1st Round # 27

The New York Knicks have been one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the NBA for years. The Knicks have not had a winning season since 2013-2014. The Knicks have also had six head coaches in that time span.

So why would I want Woodard II to be drafted by the Knicks?

The opportunity to play early and often as the Knicks need help can turn the franchise around. Woodard brings a wealth of talent and versatility to his game. This is also the only spot where I have Woodard getting the guaranteed money of a first-round contract.

Woodard II would make a solid pairing with 2019 first-round pick RJ Barrett as the Knicks are still rebuilding for the future. I also don’t think the big city’s bright lights are too much for this talented player from Mississippi.

Watch this scouting video of Robert Woodard II.