Robert Ford III gears up for pro hoops in Germany

He was an inconsistent shooter and played in a backup role, hitting just 28.6% of his shots on his way to 4.4 points per game.

That version of Ford seems ages ago considering all he’s accomplished since then.

During the 2023-24 season, Ford was the Bobcats’ most important player. No longer a backup, he was unequivocally the top guy.

With his 6-foot frame, Ford’s hustle took him all over the court: high above it as he fought for rebounds, crashing to it as he kept the ball inbounds, skipping down it to celebrate a clutch shot. Ford put his body, seemingly, through hell during his 1,185 minutes. But he showed the player he really is.

The Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year after collecting 100 steals (second in all of Division I), Ford also averaged 16.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while adding 106 assists. He shot 48.7% from the field, 20 points higher than the year before, and an absurd 44% from 3-point range (84 of 191). He was a first team all-conference pick and a unanimous selection to the all-defensive team.

Sweetest of all, he was named the Big Sky Tournament MVP after helping the Bobcats to a third consecutive conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth.

Ford’s body of work in his final season was enough for more than two dozen agents to reach out to him as he turned his attention to playing professionally.

“I think it helped my case a lot,” Ford said. “What you do on the court and what you produce shows teams what you can do. So I think being able to have a year like that, it helped me to a degree.”

His chosen agent eventually landed Ford a one-year contract with an option for a second with Würzburg Baskets, a club in the top division of the German Basketball Bundesliga. The team announced his signing on July 4.

“My agent did a really good job of communicating with me about the offers we had,” Ford said. “He made this opportunity happen.”

Ford was reluctant to accept too much individual praise during the season, but his efforts cannot be overstated when discussing MSU’s success or how this professional chance came about.

“I was able to make a dream come true and be a professional,” he said. “But still hungry and motivated to play and compete and play to the highest level I can.”

Matt Logie, who coached Ford’s final season at MSU after Danny Sprinkle coached the first one, would expect nothing less.

“I think the initial entry point for him professionally is a great fit because it’s one that understands the type of playmaker and competitor that he is and what he can bring to a championship-level professional club,” Logie said. “Rob has worked really hard to create a resumé that would warrant an opportunity like that.”

Ford briefly entered the transfer portal after Sprinkle took the head coaching job at Utah State in April 2023. His decision to return to MSU changed the trajectory of the team’s season.

“Rob chose us, and he wouldn’t let us fail,” Logie said after the team’s loss in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four.

Ford becoming the heartbeat of the team, to say nothing of its most important player, shouldn’t be considered a surprise. Sprinkle himself believed that might be the case going into the season.

“I think Bobcat fans are going to see a completely different Robert Ford,” Sprinkle told MSU’s Mountains & Minds magazine in November. “I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s the best point guard in the Big Sky this season. I think he’s that good.”

In preseason practices, Logie remembers everybody associated with the program taking notice of Ford’s winning plays, clutch shots and consistency. His strong play carried over to when the lights were brightest. And, perhaps just as important, he grew into the leader the team needed.

“As I’ve told many people, coaching Robert Ford was kind of like peeling back an onion,” Logie said. “Every month or so, a different level of ability, a different level of leadership, a different level of teammate, would be kind of unveiled.”

Ford thanked both coaches for supporting him and urging him to “be the guy we know you can be,” Ford said. That was easier to do this past season when he was healthier and had more confidence in himself.

He ended up being the driving force behind MSU’s success. The Bobcats, who had plenty of ups and downs collectively, finished 17-18 overall with a 9-9 mark in Big Sky play. But after beating Weber State on senior night, MSU swept through the Big Sky Tournament, capped by a 15-point win in the final against Montana in which Ford had 22 points, nine rebounds, five steals, four assists and no turnovers. It was a performance worthy of Tournament MVP and a fitting end to a season that Ford made sure never got too out of hand.

“I really don’t get into the individual stuff too much, but I was happy to help my team,” Ford said. “I was able to kind of be free and just be me. Having that role and being able to step in to be that person, I felt I was always ready for it.

“A lot of what we accomplished was amazing.”

Ford, who graduated in May, said he will leave the United States in early August, and his team’s season will likely begin in September or October. He wants to be a team player and show off his hustle in Germany like he did at MSU. Ford went to great lengths just to get signed. Now he wants to stick around.

“I’m proud of what I accomplished in being able to sign a pro contract, but I feel like I’m still striving,” Ford said. “I had that goal and now I have more goals. Never get too comfortable, keep working. This was something people told me I couldn’t do. And now, I’m going to be doing it at one of the highest levels of playing professionally, so I’m really proud of myself for that.”