Video: Columbus’ Woodard II Shines As Sophomore, Credits Team And Father

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – One of the top-rated high school basketball players in the country lives right here in Columbus. A guy his teammates call “Smooth” has already had success on the international stage and colleges are clamoring for his attention. Robert Woodard II is just a sophomore.

“You just have to brush most of the things off because you don’t want it affect how you play,” Woodard said of the increased attention.

His coaches and teammates said he makes everyone on the floor better, whether it’s from his flashy dunks or his focus on communication on the court.

“You have a great person, great student, and combine that with a great athlete,” head coach Luther Riley said. “Every coach in America, I promise you, would like to coach a kid like Robert Woodard.”

Woodard said he’s become close with senior Chris Deloach, who has nothing but superlatives to say about him.

“He brought a leadership mentality to this team even though he’s just a sophomore,” Deloach said.

Woodard learned the game at a young age from his father. The two share a name and a lot of skill on the court. His dad played four years at Mississippi State and he, along with his wife Velma, go to almost every game and spend time dissecting their son’s performances afterward.

“He basically taught me everything I know now,” Woodard said of his father. “They’ve helped me stay level-headed and not let all the social media and comments get to me.”

His father said he’s balanced being a teacher of the game but also letting his son discover his own identity.

“We’re just enjoying the game together,” Woodard’s father, Robert, said. “For me, it’s a process of enjoying him throughout his years.”

The family traveled to Argentina this past June when Woodard helped the under 16 USA national team to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship.

“It gives me a different perspective from the United States. Playing with that team is an awesome experience,” he said.

He’s now is one of two captains on a Columbus team that’s three wins away from the school’s first ever state championship.

“There’s no pressure. We just go out and perform and hopefully break the expectations,” he said.

Woodard said his “backup plan” is to use his 3.8 GPA to study physical training, but this whole basketball idea might just work out.

“I really love the game and I could play it every day of my life,” he said. “I really just want to keep playing and playing until I can’t play any more.”

Columbus faces George County Saturday in the state quarterfinals.