Kam Woods is the happiest he’s been in awhile, his high school coach says, and the Robert Morris guard agrees. What’s not to love? A March Madness berth and postseason honors came to Woods, all sparked by a coach who believes in him and gave him another opportunity.
But that happiness has been there all season, and it’s a big reason why Robert Morris is in the position it is today — in Cleveland, preparing for the NCAA tournament.
Woods is on his fifth school in his five-year collegiate career. This one’s been his most productive, as Woods is averaging 15.1 points, 5.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and more than a steal per game. His play has been best in the biggest moments, as he was named Horizon League tournament MVP after averaging 19.7 points and 5.3 assists in the three games.
This spot has been special, Woods said. And it’s culminating with a March Madness game against No. 2 Alabama, the school he supported as recently as last year. It’s only added to the excitement.
“He's not always excitable on practice days, but I think when he found out who it was, at one point in time, he told me, ‘The state was going crassy,’ ” Robert Morris coach Andy Toole said, poking fun at Woods’ Alabama drawl. “I had to look that up — crassy. That means crazy. That'll be fun.”
It’s the latest stop on a different path for Woods, one that started in high school. Woods was a starter for Midfield High School in Alabama even as a 5-foot-1 eighth grader, playing three seasons before moving 40 minutes away to Pinson Valley High School for his junior and senior years. His high school coach, Darrell Barber, coached him at both schools.
Barber first saw Woods in sixth grade, immediately realizing he saw the game differently.
“He was kind of small, so he wasn't the best defender, but he was real scrappy,” Barber said. “And as a point guard myself, it just stuck out to me how high his IQ was, passing the ball where the guy should be instead of passing the ball to the guy, how well he played in the pick and roll. ... Once we got together, man, it was just like magic.”
Woods was best known for his scoring in Alabama. He won a Class 3A state championship at Midfield as a freshman and a Class 6A state title as a junior at Pinson Valley, teaming up in the backcourt with current Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry at the latter stop.
As a senior, he averaged 38.1 points. That scoring gave him a reputation as a stat chaser. Barber just sees him as a winner.
“Kam and I are both alike, as far as we're always looking for challenges,” Barber said. “We could have stayed at Midfield and probably won three or four state titles in a row, but everyone was saying, ‘Oh, they only do it because they were Class 3A or 4A’ or ‘Kam is too small. He won't be able to do it on higher classification.’ And we go to Pinson Valley his junior year and we won the school's first state championship ever in school history.”
Woods’ college journey started at Troy, averaging 10.3 points but only starting half the games after his lead recruiter left, then played a year at a junior college in Florida. His play there led to a chance at North Carolina A&T, where he was an All-League second-team selection and had the opportunity to move up to NC State. He played sporadically in Raleigh, ineligible for the first half of the season due to NCAA transfer rules, then once eligible never cracked the rotation as the Wolfpack went to the Final Four.
Robert Morris is school No. 5. Some would see it as a sign of the times, what’s wrong with college sports in the modern age. Barber sees it differently.
“One thing about Kam, he doesn’t really care what nobody thinks about him,” Barber said. “I can tell you that now. ... Everybody's path is different. What God has for you, he has for you, and that doesn't bother him one bit. He's happy as I've seen him in a while, so that's a good thing.”
Because through it all, all he was looking for was a coach that believed in him the way Barber did in high school. He found that in Toole.
“I was able to be comfortable, and that's one reason that I chose here with coach Toole is because I felt like it was the same way it had been,” Woods said. “I've been able to contribute and win like we won in high school. So for coach Toole to give me that trust and make me feel just like high school, it definitely makes me happy.”
Toole had to work for that trust, given how many schools and coaches Woods has had. The key was sticking to what he promised in Woods’ recruitment — plenty of minutes, plenty of chances and the ball in his hands. Woods, for his part, has delivered.
“I think in order to gain his trust, you’ve got to give him some trust,” Toole said. “ ... There's been some games where at the half, he was not playing well and we're going off, and I'm saying, ‘Yeah, those are great looks. Make them.’ And he said, ‘I know. I’ve got to make those.’ I'm like, ‘So go make them.’ I think we've treated him that way all year long and I think that's allowed the relationship to grow and be a successful one.”
It’s been an odyssey — and it might not be done. A recent NCAA decision ruled a year in junior college doesn’t burn a year of eligibility, meaning Woods has a year left. Woods took to X when it was announced, posting “Uhhohh” with an eyes emoji.
Uhhohh 👀 https://t.co/J8nS10JhNe
— Kam (Glizzy) Woods (@KamGlizzzy3) March 13, 2025
Would his sixth season be at Robert Morris, concluding his career with a two-year stop? Or will Woods find a bigger stage for his final year? Woods said he hasn’t thought about it, staying in the moment and waiting for the postseason.
After all, the Birmingham boy is in the NCAA tournament preparing to play No. 2 Alabama — the school he called his “favorite school” in a Final Four interview with al.com in 2024.
But he’s not cheering for them now. He’s looking forward to having fun.
“[I’m looking forward to] giving the world a show,” Woods said. “Just putting on for our community, our school, and showing what the Horizon League is about.”
As for Barber, he plans on making the trip for Cleveland, sitting in the Robert Morris supporters’ section and cheering for Woods. He knows all that’s gone into this moment.
“It’s been a journey and a ride,” Barber said. “That’s why I’m so happy for him now.”
First Published: March 20, 2025, 8:00 a.m.
Updated: March 21, 2025, 1:43 p.m.
