Woodson ‘blessed’ to return to Memphis
Former player: ‘My journey has come full circle’
When Butler first called, Avery Woodson was out fishing. He saw the 317 area code on his phone and knew it could be his next potential home.
“But I was fishing,” he said, “so obviously I'm not going to answer the phone.”
Later that day, Woodson returned the call. And before too long, he decided to make Butler the final stop of his college career, joining the Bulldogs as a graduate transfer after two seasons at the University of Memphis.
He hoped the move would lead him to the NCAA Tournament.
But he never would’ve guessed that the NCAA Tournament would lead him back to Memphis.
“I’m very blessed,” Woodson said Thursday, on the eve of Butler’s Sweet 16 matchup against North Carolina. “It seems like my journey has come full circle, to play here again.”
Woodson made the decision to leave Memphis less than two weeks before former coach Josh Pastner accepted a job at Georgia Tech. The 6-foot-2 guard said he picked the Bulldogs despite interest from Alabama, Ole Miss and VCU.
At the heart of Woodson’s decision was a desire to play in the NCAA Tournament, an opportunity he never received in his two years at Memphis. So, in that way, Butler’s run to the Sweet 16 has giv-
en him validation.
“We’ve worked very hard to get to this point,” he said. “This decision has definitely paid off for me.”
Woodson, who graduated from Memphis in May, has started 20 games for Butler this season and ranks fourth on the team in scoring, at 8.9 points per game. He’s proven to be a valuable backcourt addition for Butler coach Chris Holtmann, particularly in recent weeks. He scored a game-high 18 points in the team’s tournament-opening win over Winthrop, then added seven points and five rebounds against Middle Tennessee State on Saturday. Teammate Tyler Lewis, however, says Woodson’s contributions off the court have been every bit as valuable.
“He keeps this locker room in check. He knows how to get you out of a slump,” Lewis said. “He just knows how to lighten the mood up sometimes. … He’s a country guy. He loves to fish. He talks about it all the time. Honestly, he’s just a fun person to be around.”
Holtmann said Woodson was all smiles when he stepped off the bus at the team’s hotel Wednesday night. The Waynesboro, Mississippi, native knows this city. He knows the atmosphere of FedExForum. He’s comfortable here.
“It really is special,” Woodson said. “I’ve had some good times here. This city stood behind me when I was here.”
But that doesn’t mean it’s easy for Woodson to draw comparisons between the two programs.
“It's like eating barbecue and comparing barbecue and Olive Garden. You can't do it,” he said.
When Woodson first called Holtmann after that fishing trip last spring, he told the coach that he wanted to play for a team that would wind up in the NCAA Tournament.
“I can't make you any promises,” Holtmann said, “but you would help.”
Now, Woodson’s there. And though it’s nice to be back in Memphis, he’s more focused on the reason for his return.
“It’s good to be back, but I’m not trying to have a reunion or anything,” Woodson said. “I’m here to play basketball.”