Steve Woodberry rejoined the Missouri State men’s basketball staff in August of 2024 as part of Cuonzo Martin’s new staff.
Woodberry previously served on the MoState basketball staff from 2006 to 2012 under three head coaches, including Martin, during his first tenure. He was instrumental in helping recruit a Bears lineup that made runs to the CIT championship in 2009-10 and Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship in 2020-11, including MVC Player of the Year Kyle Weems. Woodberry was part of two NIT runs with the Bears, first in 2007 under coach Barry Hinson, and later with Martin in 2011, with five winning campaigns and three 20-win seasons in his six years in Springfield.
Before his return to MSU, Woodberry spent the previous three seasons (2021-23) as a scout for the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and stayed connected to the college game through his pursuit of potential pro prospects. In that span, he has also served as head coach of the Kansas City-based KC Run GMC AAU program.
Prior to that, he spent seven seasons (2014-20) as an assistant coach at Wake Forest University where he helped coach Danny Manning’s Demon Deacons reach the 2017 NCAA Tournament. He also developed John Collins from a three-star recruit into an All-American and first round NBA Draft selection, recorded five ranked wins and produced 14 players who have gone on to play professionally. In 2016-17, Wake Forest ranked in the top 10 nationally in offensive efficiency, setting school records with 268 3-pointers and shooting 77.8 percent from the free throw line.
Prior to arriving in Winston-Salem, Woodberry was also on Manning’s staff at Tulsa. He was instrumental in Tulsa winning the 2013-14 Conference USA regular season and tournament championships–the program’s first league title since 2003. The Golden Hurricane went 38-29 overall and 21-11 in CUSA play during Woodberry’s two seasons on staff, which also include a 2013 appearance in the CBI Tournament.
Woodberry enjoyed an illustrious collegiate playing career at the University of Kansas from 1990-94, playing alongside Manning and a Jayhawks franchise that produced 110 wins, three Big Eight titles and four NCAA Tournaments in his four seasons in Lawrence. He played in two Final Fours (1991 and 1993) under coach Roy Williams with a national runner-up finish and 27-5 overall record his freshman year.
He was a two-time All-Big Eight selection, named team defensive MVP in 1994 and led the team in scoring (15.5 ppg) for an NCAA Sweet 16 team his senior season. Woodberry finished his career at KU with 1,240 points and a bachelor’s degree in Economics (1994).
After his collegiate career, he had a brief stint with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers before embarking on an 11-year professional career overseas. He played in Switzerland in 1995 before moving to Australia where he enjoyed a six-year playing career. He was the league’s Most Valuable Player with the Brisbane Bullets in 1999 and was an all-league selection in 1998 and 1999. He also played in Lithuania, Greece, Sweden and Finland before retiring as a player in 2005.
A native of Wichita, Kan., Woodberry played on two state title teams at Wichita South High School and was named the 1990 Kansas Naismith Player of the Year.
Steve and his wife, Bianca, have three children — sons Shaylen and Sherron and daughter Sanaa’. He also has two other children, Steven and Kaylen.
https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/steve-woodberry/1208
