Brooklyn Nets Next Stop for Perry Following NBA Draft Night Trade

Brooklyn Nets Next Stop for Perry Following NBA Draft Night Trade

November 18, 2020 | Men's Basketball

by Matt Dunaway, Associate Director/Communications

BRISTOL, Connecticut – Reggie Perry is on his way to the Empire State and the Brooklyn Nets following a NBA Draft night trade after an impressive two-year career at Mississippi State where he continued his father's legacy in Maroon and White.

The Los Angeles Clippers originally selected Perry with the No. 57 pick during the second round of Wednesday's NBA Draft from ESPN Headquarters.

Perry is the 27th player to hear his name called during Mississippi State's NBA Draft history. He joins teammates Quinndary Weatherspoon and Robert Woodard II to give the Bulldogs three players chosen over the last two NBA Drafts.

"It definitely feels good to hear my name called," Perry said. "I was nervous but confident at the same time all throughout the second round. Playing in the NBA has been a dream of mine since I was little. I can't wait to get to Brooklyn and get to work. I'm on a great team, a championship contending team, with great players. I know a lot of people in the front office, and I feel they have a lot of confidence in me. Mississippi State prepared me for the NBA by helping me mature on and off the court. The coaching staff made me a better leader, held me accountable and made sure I'd stayed in tip-top shape in the gym."

It marks the sixth time in program history that Mississippi State has had multiple players selected in the same NBA Draft. Mario Austin and Derrick Zimmerman were the last MSU duo to accomplish the feat in 2003.

Perry is the 21st player to etch his name to head coach Ben Howland's legacy on the NBA Draft night. The group is headed by current pros Russell Westbrook (2008 – No. 4), Kevin Love (2008 – No. 5), Zach LaVine (2014 – No. 13), Jrue Holiday (2009 – No. 17), Kyle Anderson (2014 – No. 30), Woodard II (2020 – No. 40), Trevor Ariza (2004 – No. 43), Norman Powell (2015 – No. 46) and Weatherspoon (2019 – No. 49). LaVine was recruited by Howland at UCLA but played under Steve Alford.

It marks the fourth time in Howland's career that he has had multiple picks during the same NBA Draft. Perry and Woodard II join the illustrious list which includes Russell Westbrook/Kevin Love (2008), Jrue Holiday/Darren Collison (2009) and Jordan Adams/Kyle Anderson (2014).

"Reggie Perry is ready to play in the NBA right away," Howland said. "He is a high-level rebounder from day one in the NBA. He's as good a rebounder as I've coached and is right in the same level as Kevin Love. He has great hands, great feet and a great basketball IQ."

"Reggie is an excellent passer," Howland continued. "Everybody in the NBA now wants their bigs to be able to space the floor. He shot the three-ball well last year, but he passes the ball very well. You can run offense through him like he's a point guard. Reggie is a good screener. He's physical, he's tough and he's a very hard worker. I think Reggie is going to be a long-time pro, have a great career and hopefully win himself a championship."

Perry, a Karl Malone Award top five finalist given to the nation's top power forward by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, also was named a consensus All-SEC First Team selection in addition to earning National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District accolades. He claimed the SEC's Co-Player of the Year by the Associated Press and was the Bailey Howell Trophy recipient, which is awarded to the state of Mississippi's top collegiate player.

Perry was the only player to rank among the SEC's top 10 in points (17.4 – 6th), rebounds (10.1 – 1st), blocks (1.2 – 9th) and field goal percentage (50.0 – 4th). He improved his marks to 19.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game during SEC action. Perry was the eighth SEC player over the last decade to average a season double-double. The last MSU players to post season double-double averages were Jarvis Varnado (2009-10) and Arnett Moultrie (2011-12). Among those on the SEC's list are NBA standouts Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers) and Julius Randle (New York Knicks) from Kentucky along with LSU's Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers).

Mississippi State embarks on its 2020-21 season against Clemson on Wednesday, November 25, as part of the Space Coast Challenge from Titan Field House, located on the campus of Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Florida. Tip time is slated for approximately 7:30 p.m. CT televised by CBS Sports Network.

Mississippi State won 11 of its last 15 SEC games to earn a top four finish in the conference standings last season, the program's highest overall regular season finish since 2010-11. The Bulldogs have tucked away three consecutive 20-plus win seasons under sixth-year coach Ben Howland. The last time the program accomplished that feat was the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. The 68 victories also are the fourth-highest total in program history for a three-year span.

Mississippi State will look to punch its return ticket to March Madness in 2020-21 led by returnees Abdul Ado, Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stewart Jr. The trio will be joined by talented transfers in Javian Davis, Jalen Johnson and Tolu Smith along with a skillful freshmen class headed by Derek Fountain, Andersson Garcia, Cameron Matthews, Keondre Montgomery and Deivon Smith.

Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.