Robert Woodard II


Robert Anthony Woodard II is an American college basketball player for the Mississippi State Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference.

Early life and high school career

Woodard grew up playing basketball and baseball but narrowed his focus to basketball by the time he started high school, in part due to his exceptional height. He was already receiving Division I college attention in eighth grade. He played basketball for Columbus High School in Columbus, Mississippi. As a sophomore, Woodard led Columbus to its first Mississippi Class 6A state title after averaging 20.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and four assists per game. In his junior season, he averaged 25.2 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and three blocks per game and was named Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year. As a senior, Woodard won his second Class 6A state championship and repeated as Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year. A four-star recruit and the highest-rated prospect in his state, he committed to play college basketball for Mississippi State over offers from Alabama, Memphis and Ole Miss, among others.

College career

As a freshman, Woodard averaged 5.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 17.4 minutes per game. He started one contest and shot 46 percent on field goals. He spent the following summer working on his shooting and lifting weights. On November 17, 2019, Woodard set career highs with 21 points and 16 rebounds in a 82-59 win over New Orleans. As a sophomore, Woodard averaged 11.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Following the season, Woodard declared for the 2020 NBA draft, with the intention of remaining in the draft.

National team career

Woodard won a gold medal with the United States at the 2015 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. He played in all five games and averaged 5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Career statistics

College

Personal life

Woodard's father, also named Robert Woodard, left high school as the Mississippi all-time leading scorer in boys basketball, with 4,274 points, before playing for Mississippi State at the collegiate level.