The Christian Wood File
Team: Dallas Mavericks
Height: 6-10
Weight: 214
Age: 27
Birthday: 9/27/1995
College: UNLV
Draft: Undrafted
Contract: Signed a 3-year, $41 million contract in 2020
"Wood" not be denied
Christian Wood had quite the journey to the NBA, or at least to full-time player anyway. He went undrafted in 2015 and had spent multiple seasons going back and forth between the G-League and the pros. Much of that was due to a perceived attitude problem with Wood, who also suffered more heartbreak on draft night. He has spoken about in the past saying that draft night in 2015 was the last time he saw his then-girlfriend. According to Wood, he dropped her off at the airport and that was it.
But in 2020, all of that seemed to change. Wood had a breakout season in Detroit with the Pistons before the league was eventually shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However it was that season, and attitude change, that allowed Wood to turn a corner in his NBA career. Suddenly he landed a big payday and settled down in Houston with the Rockets before being traded to the Mavericks. Regardless, Wood realized that his play, as long as he kept it all together, could keep him around in the NBA much longer, with many more paydays to come. From undrafted to NBA starter, Wood was not to be denied in his journey.