NBA Comparison: Joey Graham/KJ McDaniels

Strengths: Woodard made a name for himself in the SEC as a defensive force both on the perimeter and in the post … He averaged both a steal and a block per game as a sophomore, but his effect and impact went far beyond the stat sheet … He has a 7’2 wingspan which allows him to be disruptive on handoffs and elevate at the rim with taller big men … Woodard also improved immensely from year one to year two in Starkville. He improved his three-point shooting from 27% to 43% and averaged over 11 points per game for the Bulldogs … Woodard also improved driving to the basket. He has great bounce and showed it on some powerful dunks. He also uses this bounce effectively to hang in the air longer and maneuver his body around defenders while still in the air. This allows him to have great finishing above and around the rim … He also showed smart and effective movement off the ball allowing him to get some easy buckets at the rim … He positions himself well in the post and gets up for rebounds as he averaged over six per game in 33 minutes per contest … His aggressive defensive playstyle did not lead to many fouls with an average of under two fouls per game … He looked much more comfortable from beyond the arc in his second season and was very effective as a spot up shooter … He also looked sharper with his pull-up jumper and showed potential with his mid-range shooting … Woodard’s best trait is undoubtedly his hustle and his effort. He was the heartbeat of the Bulldogs squad and this high work ethic will allow him to find a spot on a team and work his way up. While he may not be drafted, he will not disappear and will almost certainly get a chance somewhere because of this determination …

Weaknesses: Woodard makes up for a lot of his weaknesses with his hard work and hustle but there are still some glaring weaknesses in his game … He is only 6’7 so he needs to have much better ball-handling than he does right now … This poor ball-handling eliminates any possibility for him to be a facilitator or a shot creator. He struggles to get open on his own and he requires a lot of space to make three pointers because of his very slow, Draymond Green-like release. He improved his three-point shooting but it came at a cost as he needs his lower body to squat down and release his shot slowly. He will need to increase the speed of his jumper if he is going to have any success … He will have to play as a rebounding, defending power forward with the potential to spread the floor if he can make his jump shot faster. Again, because of his size this will be a tough transition going up against much larger and stronger NBA forwards … His free-throw shooting is also a cause for concern. He shot only 58% as a freshman and 64% as a sophomore … He is not outstanding in anything that he does, outside of his hustle and effort. He is a very good defender and a good rebounder, but he did not dominate enough in either of these categories in college to suggest that he will do so at the next level.

Overall: Woodard is currently not projected to be drafted by NBADraft.net although he is listed as the #51 player on our big board. This is a dramatic climb of 18 spots from the last big board and it is a testament to his high motor and work ethic. In a year dominated by uncertainty, players with high work ethic will be even more touted than ever. You never know how a prospect will turn out, but a player who works hard will always be a good pick, especially if it is late in the draft with little to lose. Woodard could sneak up draft boards because of this and he certainly has the talent, not just the work ethic, to make an impact and surprise everyone with a role on any team.

Notes: Measured: 6’5.50” barefoot, 6’7.00” in shoes, 8’9.50” standing reach, 230.2 lbs and 7’2.00” wingspan at the 2020 NBA Combine … Measured 6’4.5 without shoes, 6’5.5 with shoes, 207 lbs, with a 6’11.5 wingspan and 8’7.5 standing reach at the 2014 USA Junior National Team Mini Camp …

Derek Bast 11/17/20