MSU’s Woodard II, Sacramento Kings win 2021 NBA summer league championship
Published 4:24 pm Thursday, August 19, 2021
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Robert Woodard II and the Sacramento Kings put together a dominant performance in a 100-67 rout of the Boston Celtics during Tuesday’s 2021 NBA Summer League Championship Game at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Woodard II appeared in all seven games with three starts for the Kings between the California Classic in Sacramento and the MGM Resorts Summer League in Las Vegas. He scored five points and grabbed eight rebounds during the championship game, fueled by a highlight reel dunk to put Sacramento up by 15 points midway through the third quarter.
Woodard II nearly compiled a double-double with eight points and eight rebounds during Sacramento’s 86-70 victory over Dallas (Aug. 15). He averaged 5.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while in Las Vegas.
In total, Mississippi State had seven recent standouts participate in the NBA Summer League. Reggie Perry and Quinndary Weatherspoon suited up for the Brooklyn Nets, while Tyson Carter and D.J. Stewart Jr. saw action with the Miami Heat. Aric Holman and Lamar Peters played for the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively.
Weatherspoon registered 11.5 points, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game over four outings, followed by Perry’s 6.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in three appearances with the Nets. The duo combined for 28 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks in Brooklyn’s 97-91 win over Milwaukee (Aug. 11).
Carter posted 6.3 points and 2.0 assists per game in Las Vegas, while Stewart Jr. tucked away 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game at the California Classic for the Miami Heat. Carter wrapped his summer league with 10 points and five assists against Dallas (Aug. 17), and Stewart Jr. was signed by the Heat on Tuesday.
Holman finished the summer league on a strong note.
He scored 12 fourth-quarter points courtesy of a flawless 5-for-5 shooting effort versus Philadelphia (Aug. 14) and tacked on five points against Sacramento (Aug. 17) during the championship game.
The Mississippi State Athletic Ticket Office is selling 2021-22 season tickets. New season ticket purchasers can call (662) 325-2600, (888) Go Dawgs (888-463-2947) or visit www.HailState.com for more information.
Mississippi State has landed a quartet of impact transfers in Garrison Brooks (North Carolina), D.J. Jeffries (Memphis), Rocket Watts (Michigan State) and Shakeel Moore (North Carolina State), coupled with a solid freshmen class which features ESPN top 100 recruit KeShawn Murphy, Alden Applewhite and Cam Carter.
The Bulldogs also return two of their top three scorers in Iverson Molinar and Tolu Smith from 2020-21.
Molinar ranked among the SEC’s top 10 in points per game (16.7 – 4th), field goal percentage (47.8 – 5th) and 20-plus point games (8 – T-7th), while Smith was the SEC leader in rebounds per game (8.5) and double-doubles (8) last season.
Mississippi State captured a runner-up finish at the 2021 NIT as the Bulldogs earned a bid in postseason play for the third consecutive time when postseason tournament have been played. State won seven of its last 10 games, highlighted by a combined five NCAA NET Quad 1 and Quad 2 victories down the stretch.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men’s basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching ‘HailStateMBK’ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.