An athlete, like Christian Wood, doesn’t come with God-given ability and talent; rather, they have to earn their position by proving it through consistent performance. for this reason Christian wood is perfectly described as ‘aging like a fine wine.’

Christian Woods’ first step in professional basketball was very shaky and full of fumbles. He was included in the 2015 NBA draft after finishing college, but he ended up being undrafted. He then joined the Houston Rockets for the summer league before being called up by the Philadelphia 76ers, but he couldn’t find a home until 2019.

Christian Wood Appreciation Post #Rockets #NBATwitter

Stats 2020-2021

21 PPG
1.7 Assists
9 Rebounds
1.2 Block
0.8 Steals

Absolute BEAST In 2021

— tank for wemby (@CookedByktm) June 23, 2022

What impact has Christian Wood had as a result of going undrafted?

The suffering didn’t limit itself to his playing career; it had a huge impact on his personal life too. In a recent interview with The Ringer, the 27-year-old revealed his heartbreaking story. “I lost my girlfriend that night, too. I dropped her off at the airport after the draft and never saw her again,” wood shared his disappointment.

However, the tide had turned for the 6.9-foot forward as he made a breakthrough in the 2019-20 season with the Detroit Pistons. The Houston Rockets signed him for $53 million the following season after admiring his consistency. He played his best two seasons there, which led him to the Dallas Mavericks, currently the 4th seed in the Western Conference.

As he recalled his struggling days, Wood expressed his mental state, “When I was younger, it was just that I thought I was more talented than everybody, that my talent was just going to beat them. But me not knowing that there were people just as talented as me and I got to work to be even better than them, I didn’t know that before.”

Christian Wood on not getting drafted into the NBA:

“When I was younger, it was just that I thought I was more talented than everybody… I lost my gf that night, too. I dropped her off at the airport after the draft…”

(via @FadeawayWorld)

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 1, 2023

His recent performance with the Mavericks was very encouraging, as he averaged 17.7 points per game, shooting 53.3% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 70.4% from free throws. 

He is playing a pivotal role in Dallas’ success this season, which made Christian Wood hopeful for a contract extension. “I’m happy to be here. That’s what I’ll say. The vibe is good. … I’m open to it.”