Keyshawn Woods leaving Wake to pursue other hoop options

The 6-3 guard ranked second on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game this season, mostly off the bench

Wake Forest guard Keyshawn Woods passes the ball under the basket in a game this season (Jim Dedmon/USA TODAY Sports)

Keyshawn Woods came to Wake Forest as a transfer three years ago. Wednesday, he announced that he’s leaving the Deacons the same way.

The veteran guard, who will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in communications, is leaving coach Danny Manning’s program to pursue other opportunities, either as a graduate transfer for his final season of college eligibility or to begin a professional career.

“I appreciate the opportunity that Coach Manning gave me to be a part of this program and to graduate from this great university,” Woods said in a statement announcing his departure. “I am proud that I was able to help the coaches change the culture of the program and build a foundation for the future.”

Woods played his first season at Charlotte before joining the Deacons in 2015. After sitting out a season under NCAA transfer rules, he averaged 12.2 points per game and shot better than 40 percent from 3-point range mostly while coming off the bench.

He was part of the team that helped get Wake back to the NCAA tournament in 2016-17, ending a seven-year drought.

The 6-foot-3 native of Gastonia ranked second on the team in scoring this season while averaging 11.9 points per game. He also earned a spot on the ACC’s All-Academic team.

“I want to thank Keyshawn for all he has contributed to our program over the last three years,” Manning said. “He will leave Wake Forest with a degree that will allow him to have a successful future, both on and off the basketball court.”

Woods is the third Deacon underclassman to leave the program over the past few weeks, joining sophomore forwards Donovan Mitchell and Rich Washington on the way out the door.