Wolfpack transfer guard Kam Woods, out of NCAA purgatory, looking to contribute
Kam Woods could only wait, watch and wonder.
Woods transferred to N.C. State to play basketball for Kevin Keatts. But when?
Woods was a two-time transfer, starting his college career at Troy and later playing at North Carolina A&T with a stop in between at Northwest Florida State Community College.
Woods was hoping to be granted a waiver by the NCAA and immediately play this season. But the NCAA decided to reduce the number of waivers for two-time transfers who have not graduated. Woods and N.C. State appealed, but the NCAA dawdled.
Sound familiar? North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker was caught up in the same form of NCAA purgatory as a two-time transfer, and it appeared basketball players would soon be affected as the 2023-24 season neared.
When the Pack began the season, Woods sat.
“It was a crazy wait,” Woods said Wednesday after the Pack’s 82-70 win over Saint Louis. “I just wanted to take it day by day and be ready for the moment. It was kind of hard, mentally, not playing. But I was here for my team and ready for my moment.”
If the moment ever came this season. Woods said he had his doubts, his down times. The Bessemer, Alabama, native had to accept the possibility he would not play this season despite NCSU’s appeal.
“The day the (NCAA) denied it, I thought it was over,” Woods said. “That day really hurt me. But I didn’t want to be negative about not playing and not be ready for the moment. I got over it really quick.”
Woods saw Walker declared eligible by the NCAA. The NCAA relented on others.
“I was kind of hurt when others were getting their waivers,” Woods said. “I tried to stay away from it on (social) media and just stay away from it all.”
The NCAA, amid a legal fight over anti-trust issues, eventually gave in after being sued in federal court by attorneys general from seven states, including North Carolina’s Josh Stein. It made all two-time transfers eligible this school year, freeing Woods and a lot of others from the eligibility battle.
Woods was in the Pack’s lineup and on the floor last weekend as N.C. State lost to Tennessee 79-70 in the Hall of Fame Series in San Antonio. The 6-2 junior guard had nine points and four rebounds in his first appearance, playing 18 minutes and hitting both his 3-pointers.
“Definitely surreal,” Woods said.
Then came Wednesday and his first game at PNC Arena, his new home court. It wasn’t a full house but Wolfpack fans turned up the volume as the Pack (8-3) scored 49 points in the second half.
“It felt good,” Woods said, smiling. “I was glad to see my teammates happy and shine. The crowd was here. We’re on Christmas break and there’s still a crowd out there, so it felt good.”
Woods was in for 4 1/2 minutes against the Billikens as Keatts tries to best fit Woods and MJ Rice, who played his first game Dec. 6 at Reynolds Coliseum, into the lineup. It’s a process, Keatts said Wednesday, and there’s no rush with two players eager to get on the floor and contribute.
“Those guys are going to be good,” Keatts said. “Both of them have had great moments, but I’ve had to step back and figure out how to inch these guys in, do more teaching from film, put them in more practice situations. But they’re both going to be good basketball players for us.”
Woods had 26 points last season against Houston, one of the nation’s most effective defensive teams. He had 16 games where he hit three or more 3-pointers.
His role with the Pack?
“That’s on the coaches and I’m ready for any role they want me to play.” Woods said.
Good answer. And now worth the wait.
This story was originally published December 21, 2023 at 10:35 AM.
