Reggie Perry, Robert Woodard II both slated to participate in NBA Draft Combine
The following is courtesy of Mississippi State media relations:
Mississippi State’s Reggie Perry and Robert Woodard II are slated to participate in the 2020 NBA Draft Combine process.
The Bulldogs are one of eight schools in the country to have multiple players chosen for the combine, only behind Arizona, Duke and Kentucky. The two selections are tied for fourth nationally with Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan State and Washington.
The 2020 NBA Draft is currently set for Wednesday, November 18 from ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut and will air live on ESPN. The date is subject to change as circumstances warrant.
Perry, a Karl Malone Award top five finalist given to the nation's top power forward by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, also was named a consensus All-SEC First Team selection in addition to earning National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District accolades. He claimed the SEC’s Co-Player of the Year by the Associated Press and was the Bailey Howell Trophy recipient, which is awarded to the state of Mississippi's top collegiate player.
Perry was the only player to rank among the SEC’s top 10 in points (17.4 – 6th), rebounds (10.1 – 1st), blocks (1.2 – 9th) and field goal percentage (50.0 – 4th). He improved his marks to 19.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game during SEC action. Perry was the eighth SEC player over the last decade to average a season double-double. The last MSU players to post season double-double averages were Jarvis Varnado (2009-10) and Arnett Moultrie (2011-12). Among those on the SEC's list are NBA standouts Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers) and Julius Randle (New York Knicks) from Kentucky along with LSU's Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers).
Woodard II more than doubled his scoring average from 5.5 points to 11.4 points per game between his freshman and sophomore seasons. He showcased his versatility as one of three Power 5 players along with Colorado's Tyler Bey and Michigan's Jon Teske to average over 10 points, six rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal last season.
Woodard II notched 19 of his 22 double-digit point performances and made 31 of his 32 starts during the 2019-20 season. The Columbus, Mississippi native knocked down a 49.5 shooting percentage from the field and upped his three-point shooting clip to 42.9. He registered 539 points, 342 rebounds, 53 steals and 49 blocks over his 65 career games.
The NBA Draft Combine has been reformatted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be conducted both in NBA team markets and virtually, taking place in phases throughout October and into early to mid-November.
The reimagined opportunity will provide players and the league to go through interviews, individual on-court programs consisting of strength and agility testing, anthropometric measurements, shooting drills and a "Pro Day" video, all conducted during October at NBA team facilities nearest to the player's home or interim residence. Medical testing and examinations will be performed by NBA-affiliated physicians in the same market.
Mississippi State won 11 of its last 15 SEC games to earn a top four finish in the conference standings, the program’s highest overall regular season finish since 2010-11. The Bulldogs have tucked away three consecutive 20-plus win seasons under sixth-year coach Ben Howland. The last time the program accomplished that feat was the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. The 68 victories also are the fourth-highest total in program history for a three-year span.
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