Rodney Hood Needs To Prove Himself Now

Ambitious.

To summarize Rodney Hood‘s rookie season in one word, that’s what we should use.

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The 6’9″ small forward from Duke has had his share of different trials in the regular season including being injured multiple times with plantar fasciitis, as well as having other foot injuries including a most recent ankle injury against the Boston Celtics.

Most people thought that his injuries would slow down Hood’s progression. Most people were completely wrong, though.

Regardless of any circumstance to his body that Hood has had to face this season he’s been one of the Jazz’ most consistent players.

Now that the season is coming to its impending close, Hood’s got to keep showing to head coach Quin Snyder, the rest of his teammates, and the Jazz front office, that he can become the spark plug off the bench that the Jazz have desperately needed for their entire season.

Trey Burke has done an excellent job off the bench, but in the beginning of the season it was assumed that the sixth man would be Hood. Now that he’s fully healthy and capable Hood has got to continue to keep coming in games and being aggressive, looking for his own shot.

Ambitious is perfect word to describe Hood’s season because in spite of everything that he’s gone through injury wise, he’s still manage to do a lot on the basketball court.

Hood’s played in 32 games this season and in the process he’s scored 189 points. When a person compares that to the other Utah Jazz rookie, Dante Exum, who was picked No. 5 in the 2014 NBA Draft and has played in 60 games and only scored 275 points, it shows Hood doesn’t need much time for him to come into a game and start lighting the defense up, he only needs his health.

Hood when he’s healthy and able is a person who coach Snyder could insert into the starting lineup and not miss a beat offensively. Even as a rookie, he’s that gifted as a scorer.

When the game slows down for Rodney Hood, he's a starting level wing in this league. If he can stay healthy, he's a player
— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) March 5, 2015

Fellow Utah Jazz rookie Elijah Millsap said this speaking about Hood after he big game against the storied Los Angeles Lakers:

“It’s good to see him back. Everybody knows what he’s been through this season. To work as hard as he has worked to get back and to come out there and hit the big shots he did tonight was impressive.”

In Hood’s last five games alone the rookie has impressed.

Hood has two games where he scored in double figures and he’s only played 19.4 minutes a night averaging 8.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists. What’s been most impressive about Hood’s return to the Jazz is the way that he’s been shooting the basketball.

Oct 29, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood (5) warms up prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

During his last five games the rookie is looking more and more like the sharpshooter many expected him to play like in his rookie season.

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Hood is putting up awesome numbers across the board as he has shot better than 50 percent from the floor in three games. Additionally, when he steps out and shoots the three-pointer he’s just as lethal. Hood has also shot 50 percent or better from the three-point line in two games. During his last five games he’s shooting 46 percent from the floor, and 46 percent from the three-point line.

Next season Hood is going to play in the perfect situation off of the bench because when Alec Burks comes back (who I think should also come off the bench) he’s going to have to impact the game. Depending on who the Jazz select in the 2015 NBA Draft, Hood will either substitute for Burks or Gordon Hayward.

Because his role is going to greatly expand next season Hood has to keep playing well to show to the rest of the organization that he can become a great player in the NBA.

Thankfully because the Jazz aren’t going to make the playoffs Hood is going to have an opportunity to showcase his true talent to the rest of the organization before the season comes to a finale.

Hood’s good enough to start for a majority of teams, and as he keeps remaining healthy he’s going to force coach Snyder’s hand to insert him into the starting lineup.

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