Is Ben Woodside an NBA Player?
If you had to name the NCAA player who splashed 60 points in a single outing this year and scored more than any other individual during the first round of the tournament, who would you think it was? Blake Griffin? James Harden?
It was North Dakota State PG Ben Woodside, a 5-11 senior who hung 37 points against Kansas’ Sherron Collins in Round One. If Collins left for the pro’s after this season, odds are he’d go somewhere in the second round. He’s a sparkplug who is strong enough to take a beating in the paint. And Woodside was noticeably quicker than Collins.
From DraftExpress’ NCAA live blog…
We hate to beat a dead horse, but Ben Woodside’s crossover and first step is getting him to wherever he wants on the floor, and is allowing him to make a living inside the paint and at the free throw line. He doesn’t even really need to use a screen, he’s just turning on the jets and blowing past whoever is on him in pure one on one situations.
Woodside could very well be one of the three quickest guards in the nation – he proved it in Round One. Plus, he also proved that he’s a master of drawing fouls. He was getting defenders off-balance and making them pay time and time again. He went to the line 10 times against KU, and averaged just over 8 free throws per game over the course of the season. When he decimated Stephen F. Austin for 60 points, he shot 30-35 from the stripe.
But even if as quick as Collins and better at drawing fouls, Woodside is still absent from the major NBA Draft projections. He’s in a pretty deep point guard pool this year, having to compete with this laundry list of PG’s who have played at a higher level of competition for years and have a size advantage: Jeff Teague, Jonny Flynn, Eric Maynor, Willie Warren, Ty Lawson, Stephen Curry, Darren Collison, A.J. Price, Curtis Jerrells, Tyrese Rice, Toney Douglas, Lester Hudson and some foreign guys.
Woodside deserves a look at the big-time, but will he get past the summer camps?
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March 23rd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
doc says:
He’ll get a shot,and thats all u can ask for.Hopefully I bust his ass.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:01 pm
junior says:
what you doing these days doc?
like just getting ready for summer league
or looking overseas?
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Dime Magazine says:
Doc we’re all pulling for you.
-ak
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:11 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Cross em up D O C!
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
FIRE KATZ says:
the answer to your question is the same as the answer to min “Is Katz a legit writer?” Answer? Obviously not.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
karizmatic says:
He’ll get drafted and he’ll get on a team and then he’ll get cut when they realize he’s too small and a fraction of a step too slow.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Scott says:
Chris Quinn.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Frank says:
Damn AK, you have a big fan here.. Did you steal his lunch money or something?
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:41 pm
KnicksFan84 says:
Anyone remember Jared Jordan…. that dude was nice and didn’t crack the pros. I hope this guy gets a shot though
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Dime Magazine says:
Knicksfan,
He’s actually doing damage in the D-League right now. Check it out: http://dimemag.com/2009/03/the-10-hottest-d-league-standouts/
- ak
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
doc says:
Yeah I know the dime fam behind me.Im in Italy right now fellas.We balling everyday I just had 23 9 boards and 4 dimes yesterday and made the front page of the paper.im just out here chilling,keeping up with u dudes and fucking these chicks from Milan.They the truth fuck Paul Pierce.
March 23rd, 2009 at 4:02 pm
AB_40 says:
no he’ll probably end up in a seccond or third rate european country get 25 ppg for a year go to spain or something and ride the pine on the bench
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Marc Stein says:
who is the “doc” anyway?
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:34 pm
quest says:
@ marc stein he is a retard
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Taj says:
I think her should get a look somewhere for sure… He goes to the rack hard and can shoot… He’ll definately be a liability against beigger guards though…
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Ric Hardwood says:
Woodside has to learn to be a better passing pg. With his size, his ceiling is to be like TJ Ford (believe it or not, TJ used to pass)… and not too many teams are looking for a 2-guard with pg-size…
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
KnicksFan84 says:
Hey Dimemag,
Nice to see Jared Jordan doing it up in D-League but it is what it is… D-LEAGUE. I haven’t seen anyone come from D-League and dominate. Jamario Moon might be the best D-League player ever. That’s saying a lot.
Even still, I’m convinced Jared can play and should be on a roster period. He’s better than JJ Barea out in Dallas IMO.
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Scott says:
Ric, Is your opinion just from the NCAA tourney game? Most of the year he was in the top 10 nationwide in assists. In games throughout the year, he did what the team needed: score or assist. In the KU game, he needed to score. He had double digit assists 4 times this year.
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:25 pm
e says:
who is this doc guy?
March 24th, 2009 at 2:17 am
lakesbison says:
Woody was top 5 in assists all year.
Woody destroyed collins, and blew by every person kansas threw at him.
Woody has a wicked hesitation step, that you just cant teach.
Woody has confidence, swagger and is a classy, hard working kid *(unlike 90% of the nba)*
March 24th, 2009 at 8:41 am
bigdoggchad says:
Was at the Kansas-NDSU game Woodside and Collins were in a shootout. (37-31) Woodside was one point off the opening round scoring record. Woodside never guarded Collins, but he was killling Collins when he tried to guard him.
March 26th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
jeffbiggar says:
I got a feeling if this guy gets his chance he will make some team in the nba very happy. jason williams makes his living playing in the nba. bens a bettter shooter and quicker and d didnt keep jw in the league
March 31st, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Chris says:
I don’t think the question is whether he can score, but whether he can defend. Sherron Collins had an awesome game too. Can Woodside ever defend above average PGs like Devin Harris, Mo Williams, Jameer Nelson, let alone the elites like Paul and Williams?
April 1st, 2009 at 3:21 pm
balling says:
Woodside will get drafted
April 4th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
dave says:
I just caught onto this guy after he walked all over Collins, hes from a no name college, and has not been on anyones radar, so that’s how it stands. Recognition is everything, it’s easier for everyone to say his size is the handicap. But he is scoring at will, and that hesitation move, is pretty elusive to defend. Unteachable, one has to figure it out on his own. The best I ever saw was a guy out of calgary, he could go from almost full speed, stop then keep going somehow, it was his signature move. Knowone could defend that.
I’m not sure why Sherron Collins could be drafted and Woodside just ignored. And I think Woodside played the whole 40 minutes with less of a team. Aldridge is that good.
There is plenty of speed and quickness in the NBA, but does that translate into scoring? On one hand you have guys like Gerald Green and Jamario Moon, who just cannot get it done. Then you have guys like Steve Nash and John Stockton who take it to the next level, and these guys never had the speed.
Woodside on the right team is a very good fit off the bench, starting? Only on a team with a very good big man to spread the floor.
But a very interesting player to watch and see how he does from here.
Bottom line, Collins offers nothing that Woodside doesn’t they are equally comparable overall talent wise. Woodside is worth the risk.
May 16th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Kenneth says:
I’m from ND and Ive talked to Woodside before and he really wanted to play European basketball ever since he was five and he would take that chance if possible but hell play in the nba if he is offered a good future.
June 4th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
fan says:
ben woodside had 28 points and 7 assists in 16 minutes, versus a pretty shit team but thats still really impressive
June 25th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Florida Gator guy says:
They have been telling Ben Woodside his whole life that he can’t play at every level. Ben woodside will play in the NBA this season and you can take that to the bank!