The Utah Jazz have selected Duke Blue Devils sharpshooter Rodney Hood with the No. 23 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Utah Jazz select Rodney Hood with No. 23 pick in 2014 NBA Draft
Utah get a deep threat in the 6’8 wing from Duke.
Grant Halverson
Hood began his college career at Mississippi State, where he enjoyed a solid freshman campaign before deciding to transfer to Duke after former Bulldogs coach Rick Stansbury retired.
After sitting out a season, Hood joined the Blue Devils and immediately became a go-to option on offense along with stud freshman Jabari Parker. Hood averaged 16.1 points on the season and shot 42.0 percent from long range on the season His year did end on a down note, as he managed just six points on 2-of-10 shooting in the stunning loss to Mercer in the NCAA Tournament.
At 6’8, Hood has good size for a wing and also boasts solid athleticism. There are concerns about his slight frame, which could affect him both offensively and defensively in the NBA. Defense wasn’t Hood’s strong suit at Duke to begin with, so there’s plenty of room for improvement on that end.
Utah needed another shooter to surround their gaggle of young big men. On the wing, Hood should pair well with Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke, particularly as he takes some of the pressure off Burke in terms of shot selection.
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