The point guard OU is getting in Jordan Woodard

[OUHoops]

These highlights are from last season/summer, but I forgot how well this kid is able to score in the lane for a point guard.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPfACoyfU38[/ame]

 

[pillmanj]

These highlights are from last season/summer, but I forgot how well this kid is able to score in the lane for a point guard.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPfACoyfU38[/ame]

Never seen him play but how good of an athlete is he??

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[SoonerMatt27]

Never seen him play but how good of an athlete is he??

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Very similar to Grooms, speed-wise, which is why I'm so excited about him. His ceiling is much higher than Grooms in every facet.

 

[brettromar]

Very similar to Grooms, speed-wise, which is why I'm so excited about him. His ceiling is much higher than Grooms in every facet.

He is a much better athlete overall than grooms. I could be wrong but I don't think grooms can finish on a breakaway with a two dunk.

I think he is quicker than grooms but that is watching from a distance.

He has much the same mentality as grooms in that he doesn't force his offense. He plays within the system and can create his own shot though.

I think he is a great pick up for ou.

Now if Ou could find a way to get trier and Milton in two more years. That would be a good backcourt.

 

[BigTime]

Thanks for posting. I hope he heals up soon and gets back to 100%.

 

[KBaden145]

Nice pace, smooth with ball. Seems to really be able to get into the lane at will. Good passer. Can finish creatively at the rim. Good range and form on his jump shot. Looks like he can run the offense or go get his if need be. I'd be shocked if he doesn't start from Day 1.

 

[DenverSooner]

Does Woodard start next year?

 

[AdaSooner]

Does Woodard start next year?

Funny, I have been asking myself the same question the last couple of days. I definitely wouldn't rule that out as a possibility.

Keep in mind that Jordan will be the only "true" point guard on our roster next year. Cousins and Hornbeak are combo guards who have played the one this season. With Pledger gone, Je'lon could see some time at the two. He leads the team in shooting from behind the arc so far with a 39% average.

In other words, we may need him to play the shooting guard position more than we'll need him at the point. That would leave Cousins as the main competition for Woodard to run the offense.

I like Jordan. Judging by what I've seen on video, he has better handles in traffic and in finishing at the rim than Grooms. If Sam had developed a perimeter shot in the off season, chances are good he would be starting this year. Assuming Woodard has the ability to score from somewhere, he has a very good chance to start. Not right away, mind you. I'm talking about by the beginning of conference play.

 

[usedtobe1]

I would guess Woodard gets the reins from day one just as the freshmen did this year. That gives him the non-conference scheduled to acclimate to D1 ball. They did that with Cousins and finally decided he wasn't ready to be a starter, but the playing time makes him a valuable backup.

They need for someone to step up as a perimeter threat next year. Buddy Heild is a good scorer and creator but isn't a great deep shooter.

 

[Stikboy]

Disagree. I think if they ran screens for Buddy he'd probably be our best long range guy..

 

[WTSooner]

I would guess Woodard gets the reins from day one just as the freshmen did this year. That gives him the non-conference scheduled to acclimate to D1 ball. They did that with Cousins and finally decided he wasn't ready to be a starter, but the playing time makes him a valuable backup.

They need for someone to step up as a perimeter threat next year. Buddy Heild is a good scorer and creator but isn't a great deep shooter.

I agree with all of this.

 

[garyeb2]

I would guess Woodard gets the reins from day one just as the freshmen did this year. That gives him the non-conference scheduled to acclimate to D1 ball. They did that with Cousins and finally decided he wasn't ready to be a starter, but the playing time makes him a valuable backup.

They need for someone to step up as a perimeter threat next year. Buddy Heild is a good scorer and creator but isn't a great deep shooter.

I'll say this. I hope he is the kind of freshman that has the maturity to step in and start early on. However, his situation is alittle different. Hornbeak and Cousins are just young and won't do anything but get better. Grooms has a shooting problem that was on display and hurt the team some for a year.

I think Kruger started the season hoping he could find a replacement for Grooms. I'm not sure he will have a simular mindset going into next season. If Woodard is good enough and mature enough to start early on. He probably will. Otherwise, they may have to grow him into it.

As far as outside shooters. The really good ones are rare. But, Heild, Hornbeak, and mayby even Woodard are just as likely as not to work out to be good enough.

 

[AdaSooner]

I would guess Woodard gets the reins from day one just as the freshmen did this year. That gives him the non-conference scheduled to acclimate to D1 ball. They did that with Cousins and finally decided he wasn't ready to be a starter, but the playing time makes him a valuable backup.

They need for someone to step up as a perimeter threat next year. Buddy Heild is a good scorer and creator but isn't a great deep shooter.

Agreed. That's why I said Hornbeak may see more time at the two than playing the point next year, leaving Woodard to compete with Cousins for running the offense. Je'lon has already proven he's our best deep threat. It's not that Buddy can't shoot from three, it's just that he's better at scoring off of the dribble. But, with Pledger no longer around, we'll need both players to step up to fill that void from the perimeter.

You may be right in that Woodard will start at the point from the get-go. That wouldn't surprise me much either. He's a true point guard who has played that position his entire career. Cousins got the nod after only one season running the offense for his high school team. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

 

[playmakr]

Jordan will have a chance to start next year mainly due to his on the ball ability. He is a load for opposing PG's.

 

[AdaSooner]

Jordan will have a chance to start next year mainly due to his on the ball ability. He is a load for opposing PG's.

Can you expand on that, playmakr? What makes you say he will be a load for opposing point guards? I don't disagree, just wanted to get your take.

 

[campbest]

It will be the same as every year...expanded rotation with more leniency to freshman. Those who can step-up will play in conference, those who can't will sit.

 

[playmakr]

Can you expand on that, playmakr? What makes you say he will be a load for opposing point guards? I don't disagree, just wanted to get your take.

When I went and saw him play last year (still trying to get to a game this year, I live very close to Memorial) the thing I noticed the most was his on the ball ability. He would pick up full court and the poor PG he was covering could barely dribble without turning the ball over, he took the ball from him numerous times, as well as had a number of other off the ball forced turnovers. I think in that one game he had to have double digit steals. It would be the same reason Cousins was starting for much of the season, harassing defense. He's better offensively than Cousins, but not as long.

His defensive intensity if as high as I have seen for a high school player. Regardless of what he will bring offensively as a freshmen, he's going to play smothering defense, and that will get him playing time.

 

[AdaSooner]

When I went and saw him play last year (still trying to get to a game this year, I live very close to Memorial) the thing I noticed the most was his on the ball ability. He would pick up full court and the poor PG he was covering could barely dribble without turning the ball over, he took the ball from him numerous times, as well as had a number of other off the ball forced turnovers. I think in that one game he had to have double digit steals. It would be the same reason Cousins was starting for much of the season, harassing defense. He's better offensively than Cousins, but not as long.

His defensive intensity if as high as I have seen for a high school player. Regardless of what he will bring offensively as a freshmen, he's going to play smothering defense, and that will get him playing time.

Thanks! Good analysis of what Jordan will bring to the table next year. His ball-hawking style on defense shows up the vidoes I've watched, which supports everything you said about his on the ball skills. He obviously has unusually quick feet and hands, plus he appears to be a strong kid for his size.

That's why I said that if he is a threat to score from anywhere, he'll have a leg up on the competition to take over the job of running our offense. Will it be to start the season? That's a question I can't answer for sure. But if Kruger was willing to turn the reins over to Cousins this year, chances are good he won't hesitate to do it again with Jordan next season.

 

[DenverSooner]

It will be great if he can be a better defender than Grooms or Cousins, average about 10 a game, hit 30% or more of his 3 point attempts and have an assist to turn over ratio similar to Grooms (the last one is a lot to ask of a freshman). That will make OU a much better basketball team.

OU is going to miss Osby and will really need better production from its backcourt next season to compensate for the loss of Osby.

 

[SoonerinNC]

I saw a couple of games he has played this year on EZ Preps and he was scoring from all over. Looked like a far more confident player is his scoring ability than last year.

I could see him starting at point guard next year.