The Utah Jazz entered the season with high expectations after their great performance following last season’s All-Star break. The Jazz went 17-8 after Feb. 18, which was fifth-best in the NBA, and the team posted the best defensive rating in the NBA at 93.5.
So heading into this season, the Jazz were expected to make a run at the playoffs behind some of their star players like Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, and Rudy Gobert. The team is 2-1, Favors is leading the team in scoring this season by averaging 21. 3 points per game, and the second-leading scorer on the team so far is the underrated Rodney Hood.
Hood is averaging 15.3 points, 2.7 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game in his sophomore season for the Jazz. In Hood’s rookie season, he played in 50 games and only started in 21 of them, he averaged 8.7 points per game last season, but during the last two months of the season, Hood started showing that he can help out the Jazz on the offensive end.
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He averaged 11.2 points per game in March and 16.3 points per game in April, he also added two games in each month were he put up at least 20 points.
Hood ended the season on a high note, but his talent is sometimes overlooked and not talked about.
Hood’s journey to the NBA
Hood could be overlooked because he was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft along with the Jazz’s lottery pick Dante Exum. Many teams and fans around the NBA focused on the overseas star who was picked fifth overall in the 2014 draft, while Hood was taken at No. 23.
Hood’s name should sound familiar, not just because it is the brand of popular milk, but because he attended Duke and played alongside Jabari Parker (went No.2 in 2014 NBA Draft). He left Duke after his sophomore season, and many people (including myself) thought Hood was not ready for the NBA.
Obviously, many players decide to leave college early for the NBA despite not being ready, and Hood was just another one of those players.
Hood is starting to shine
Hood silenced many critics last season, particularly at the end of the season when coach Quin Synder started using Hood more and more in the rotation. He is a 6-foot-8 shooting guard that can score from deep and by attacking the rim. He is pretty athletic, and the nifty lefty is actually a pretty good passer.
He is a gifted offensive player, and this has been on display during the start of this season. Other than Favors down low, Hood has been called upon to be the go-to scorer for the Jazz this season. Hayward is struggling from the floor this season so far by shooting 35.3 percent from the field, while Hood is shooting an impressive 47.6 percent.
Alec Burks is another player on the Jazz that is called upon to score, but it seems that Hood has the green light to score early because he has put up 42 shots in three games, while Burks has put up 35. Hood has played more minutes because Burks is coming off the bench, and the team is going with Raul Neto at the point, instead of trying out Burks, which could change in the future.
Hood can shoot from deep, but he got off to a rough start in the Jazz’s opening game against Detroit. He went 0-for-7 from deep, and only tacked on 12 points. In his past two games, he has shot 44.4 percent from three-point range, and he is starting to score more by attacking the basket.
Snyder put Hood in the starting lineup when the season opened, which surprised many people because during preseason he spent a lot of time playing with the reserves. Hood has impressed during his time in the starting lineup, and even though the Jazz’s offense has not been putting up great numbers (25th in scoring), the team is still dominating on defense.
The Jazz are No. 1 in the NBA in team defense, and they have one of the best rim-protectors in the league in Rudy Gobert, who is averaging 3.67 blocks per game. Hood also adds great defense for the Jazz; so far he has posted an 88.9 defensive rating, which proves that Hood is a two-way player.
Overall
The Jazz do not have that much to worry about on the offensive end because their defense is just that good. Hopefully, Hayward’s shooting woes will fade away soon, but for now people should take some time and watch Hood be the go-to scorer on the perimeter for the Jazz.
Hood does not have the type of numbers or skills to be an All-Star yet, but do not be surprised if Hood is an All-Star in the near future.
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Hood is underrated and not talked about much; that should change if you ever watch a Jazz game.