David Roddy

Roddy is a physically imposing forward whose professional career has been defined by persistent roster movement, two-way contracts, and a search for a stable role. Drafted in the first round in 2022, he began with Memphis, showed flashes of scoring potential, and has since bounced through Phoenix, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Houston, Toronto, and Denver, never securing a long-term rotation spot. His combination of size, strength, and shooting touch makes him an interesting developmental project, but his defensive limitations and inconsistent three-point shooting have prevented him from sticking with any one team.

Born David Michael Roddy on March 27, 2001, he attended Breck School in Golden Valley, Minnesota, where he was a three-sport athlete in basketball, football, and track and field. As a senior, he averaged 29.7 points and 16.6 rebounds per game in basketball, was an all-state quarterback in football, and won a Class A state title in the discus. He committed to Colorado State over Minnesota, Northwestern, and other Division I programs. He also received football scholarship offers from multiple Division I schools.

At Colorado State, Roddy developed into one of the best players in the Mountain West. As a freshman, he averaged 11.4 points and 5.6 rebounds. As a sophomore, he jumped to 15.9 points and 9.4 rebounds and was named first-team All-Mountain West. He had a breakout junior season in 2021-22, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from three. The three-point percentage jumped dramatically from 27.8 percent the previous season, signaling a new dimension to his game. He was named Mountain West Player of the Year and first-team All-Mountain West for the second consecutive year. He led the Rams to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2013 and declared for the draft on March 30, 2022.

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Roddy 23rd overall in the 2022 draft on behalf of the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a trade that sent Roddy and Danny Green to Memphis for De'Anthony Melton. He signed his rookie contract on July 2, 2022. He made his debut on October 19 with two rebounds in an overtime win over the Knicks. On March 11, 2023, he scored a career-high 24 points in a win over Dallas. On February 8, 2024, the Grizzlies traded him to the Phoenix Suns in a three-team deal involving Brooklyn. He debuted for Phoenix on Valentine's Day with 5 points and one rebound. On July 29, 2024, Phoenix traded him to the Atlanta Hawks for E.J. Liddell. Atlanta waived him on February 7, 2025.

On February 9, 2025, Roddy signed a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, was assigned to the Delaware Blue Coats, and signed a two-way deal on February 20. On February 28, Philadelphia waived him. On March 3, 2025, he signed a two-way with the Houston Rockets. On July 6, 2025, he was traded back to Atlanta as part of a massive seven-team trade involving Brooklyn, the Lakers, Phoenix, Golden State, Minnesota, and Houston that sent Kevin Durant to the Rockets. Atlanta waived him the next day. On July 10, 2025, he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Toronto Raptors, was waived on October 16, and joined the Raptors 905 on November 6. On March 4, 2026, he signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets.

Roddy is a power forward with an unusual combination of size, strength, and shooting range. His strengths are his physicality, ability to finish through contact, and a three-point stroke that has shown flashes of reliability. He is a capable scorer in the post, a strong rebounder, and an effective finisher in transition. His weaknesses are his lack of elite athleticism, defensive inconsistency, and tendency to struggle against quicker, longer wings. He is not a rim protector and can be targeted in pick-and-roll coverage. His best role is as a small-ball five or a stretch four who can score inside, hit an occasional three, and punish mismatches.

Roddy's résumé includes a three-sport high school career, a state discus title, all-state quarterback honors, 29.7 points and 16.6 rebounds as a senior, Colorado State commitment, 11.4 points and 5.6 rebounds as a freshman, 15.9 points and 9.4 rebounds as a sophomore, a breakout junior season with 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, Mountain West Player of the Year, first-team All-Mountain West twice, the 2022 NCAA tournament, the 23rd pick by Philadelphia, a trade to Memphis, a rookie season with a career-high 24 points, a trade to Phoenix, a trade to Atlanta, a waiver, a 10-day with Philadelphia, a two-way with Philadelphia, a waiver, a two-way with Houston, a trade back to Atlanta in a seven-team deal, a waiver, an Exhibit 10 with Toronto, a waiver, G League time with Raptors 905, and a two-way with Denver in March 2026. His journey from Minnesota through Colorado State into a nomadic professional existence reflects the challenge of translating college production into NBA stability for tweeners without a defined defensive position.