Roddy Building Up All Facets of His Game
Practice time is building a versatile threat
Luke Zahlmann
FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- When David Roddy dreams, he dreams big. His aspirations stretch to their limit and then hopscotch further over the edge to nearly uncharted territory.
The forward grew up watching and admiring LeBron James. Now, he wants his game to be the same, albeit without the 6-foot-9 frame his idol boasts – one Roddy is convinced he won’t reach with a sudden growth spurt.
Similarities between the two player’s games aren’t hard to find.
When Roddy grabbed a rebound in Colorado State’s matchup against Colorado, he showed the vision and touch, lobbing a pass down the court to a streaking Kendle Moore. If a spectator didn’t know any better, they’d have thought he was a quarterback. Actually, they’d be right.
Though he’s no longer standing, shoulder pads and all, reading a coverage down field for Breck School in Golden Valley, Minnesota, Roddy still utilizes the lessons he gained on the field. One of the biggest lessons: If a defender has their back turned, left it fly.
“I played football and basketball since I was a kid in first grade,” Roddy said. “There’s a lot of similarities with those passes where a regular person would hesitate, especially with one arm, but I still have a little bit of quarterback in me still, so I’m just confident in those passes.”
When he was being recruited, only some coaches saw the potential of Roddy’s facilitating prowess. One of them happened to be assistant coach Dave Thorson. Now, the team has labeled him as such. Though he won’t man the point-guard slot anytime soon, the transition and extra-pass abilities he brings add an entire dimension to Medved’s spread-the-ball, no-position style.
Inserting him into the starting lineup, enacted after the team’s loss to the Buffaloes, has expanded his reach.
“He’s got a big size mismatch, no matter what position he’s playing,” Adam Thistlewood said. “He can bang with a five-man, but he can also take any of the guards into the post. That’s opened up a lot of other player’s games and allowed us to shoot easier shots. When he’s on the court, they’re worried so much about him that it opens up for everyone else.”
With eight games under his belt as a starter, a stretch in which the Rams have gone 7-1, Roddy’s knowledge of collegiate basketball has grown. With it, the scoring ability which was ever present in high school has also come to light. He’s averaged 17.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game since becoming a fixture in the lineup.
His idol, James, took multiple years in professional basketball to discover new areas of his game, including an outside shot.
In that regard, Roddy is ahead. The bruising style which he wields can lead to several easy buckets down low. Increasing his range, something the coaching staff has already seen, is another part of his game which will grow with experience.
The pair of coaches tasked with leading both areas of Roddy’s growth are Thorson and Ali Farokhmanesh. Thorson is in charge of tweaking his post game, while Farokhmanesh takes care of the outside shooting.
He’s got a big size mismatch, no matter what position he’s playing. He can bang with a five-man, but he can also take any of the guards into the post. That’s opened up a lot of other player’s games and allowed us to shoot easier shots. When he’s on the court, they’re worried so much about him that it opens up for everyone else.CSU Basketball Player Adam Thistlewood
If you ask Thorson, the man who’s lived multiple eras of basketball, he’d tell you Draymond Green and Charles Barkley come to mind – also elite company. He watched Green develop through his ties to Michigan State and has regularly sought to enhance the skills of Roddy which make the two so comparable.
“There were a lot of comparisons and a lot of things I talked to David about that I thought we could apply to him,” Thorson said. “I even sent David some highlights of Charles Barkley when we were recruiting him, because you’ve got to appreciate people for who they are. He’s been able to do that and take advantage of the fact that he can be a power player, and at the same time add some finesse.”
Farokhmanesh, similarly, compares Roddy to Barkley and Green. His regimen with Roddy, among other things, has been tweaking this outside form, setup and honing his shot selection. Every coach has played some role in adjusting his game.
“All of us are helping each other to find the best way to help these guys,” Farokhmanesh said. “The hardest part for him is he’s got to work inside and outside. His development has been impressive, because he has the same amount of time to work with as these guys, but he’s got to work on both facets of his game.”
The goal for Roddy, from his coaches, teammates and himself, is to win. While some may call him a “tweener” due to his size not fitting directly into a mold, Thorson and company call him a “winner.”
When you ask him about facilitating, he’ll tell you it’s in the interest of coming out on top on the scoreboard. If you ask him about battling through a double team for an and-one opportunity, he’ll echo the same.
In just more than half a season at CSU, Roddy’s stock is rising.