Ben Woodside

[Brade4]

Where do you think he will go? I'll say #43 to Milwuakee.

[Dahitman44]

Got a chance 2 see him play a few times -- that fella got game. Like to see him get picked up for the wolves -- who knows might get minutes with the McFale destroyed team

[koonie]

Very slim chance he gets drafted.

[Scott M]

Not very likely. I know people project him as a 3 point specialist (one national media member likened him to Mark Price), but there are so many other people with more potential, he won't get a shot more than likely. I'm guessing he goes undrafted, signs on with a team, plays summer league ball and does decent, is cut in camp, and ends up in the D league or Europe his first year. He'd probably be pretty smart to head to Europe now and make the big bucks right away.

Either way you have to wish him the best. He sure made the most of his one shining moment and submitted a terrific collegiate career.

[UdeLakeTom]

Who cares about Woodside....give me BKS's avitar and I'll watch the T-Wolves..

[Brade4]

I think you guys may be surprised at where he goes. He impressed a few scouts the little time he had time to tryout.

[koonie]

He is a nice player but don't get your hopes up.

[Scott M]

From the Grand Forks Herald:

Twenty-nine guards were picked in Thursday night’s NBA Draft. But North Dakota State’s Ben Woodside was not one of them.

So the waiting game continues for Woodside, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound point guard who still garners hopes to fulfill his childhood dream of playing in the NBA by being picked up as a free agent.

“Sometimes, free agency is a good route to take for someone in my situation,” Woodside said before the draft began. “Hopefully, we can latch onto a team that we like.”

Mark Bartelstein, Woodside’s agent, said earlier this week he expects a number of teams to offer Woodside a chance to play in their summer leagues. Depending on which team Woodside would sign with as a free agent, he would compete in NBA Summer Leagues in Orlando July 6-10 or in Las Vegas July 10-19.

The 23-year-old Woodside, who ended his NDSU career as the school’s all-time leading scorer, surprised NBA scouts during workouts the last five weeks.

An unknown out of Albert Lea (Minn.) High School, Woodside started making a name for himself this past season when he scored 60 points in one game, hit the game-winning shot in the Summit League tournament championship game before scoring 37 points in an NCAA Tournament opening-round loss to defending national champion Kansas.

Woodside became one of 60 college seniors selected to compete in the Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational, where he was among the top third in scoring, averaging 11.3 points in three games. One day after graduating with a business management degree, Woodside flew to San Antonio for his first NBA tryout.

Since then, he has had tryouts in Detroit, Chicago, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Minneapolis, Denver, Salt Lake City, Sacramento and Portland.

Woodside would have become only the second NDSU player to be drafted. Lance Berwald, a 6-11 center, was a fifth-round pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984.

If Woodside – the Summit League player of the year - earns a contract after summer league play, he could earn an NBA minimum annual salary of $457,588. George Hill of Indiana Purdue-Indianapolis, last year’s Summit League player of the year, earned a salary of $838,500 after being drafted in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs.

Woodside averaged 23 points and 6 assists in senior season, helping the Bison to their first NCAA Tournament in appearance in their first year of eligibility. He set nine school records at NDSU (most points in one game 60, most free throws in one game 30, most free throws attempted in one game 35, most points in one season 766, most free throws in one season 231, most points in a career 2,315, most field goals attempted in a career 1,525, most free throws in a career 687, most free throws attempted in a career 83

****************************************

He'll be playing in one of the summer leagues in the next couple weeks and if he can knock down some shots and do some things, maybe he'll get a chance to sign a contract. Right now he's looking like a long shot. But don't feel sorry for the guy, he'll get rich in Europe most likely.

[Scott M]

Jerry Zgoda, Star Tribune

Albert Lea's Ben Woodside, a star during a four-year career at North Dakota State, will join the Wolves summer league team July 11-20 in Las Vegas.

He's expected to be joined by Wolves draft picks Jonny Flynn and Wayne Ellington, among others, but not by No. 5 pick Ricky Rubio.

Woodside, a 5-11 prospect, said he wasn't disappointed when he didn't get drafted Thursday night. Becoming a free agent allowed his agents to find the best fit for the point guard who averaged 23.2 points and 6.2 assists as a senior.

"I'm just excited for the opportunity," Woodside said. "I've landed in a great situation. I'm ready to start right away."

**************************

On the radio this morning he said he figured the Wolves would be the place to go once Randy Foye was traded away.