Rodney Hood is an American professional basketball player, best known as the Utah Jazz basketball team player between 2014 and 2018. He was selected for the team on June 26, 2014, as the 23rd overall pick in the 1st round of an NBA draft that year. During his career there, Rodney established a reputation as the “go-to offensive option” primarily because he scored double digits in 61 games and had more than 20 points in 15 games during the 2015-2016 season. He was also praised for pulling up a three-pointer in transition with 0.8 seconds left before the end, thus winning the game 103-100 against Dallas Mavericks on December 16, 2016.
Less than a year later, Rodney hit a new season-high after he managed to score 28 points against Sacramento Kings on March 5, 2017. On February 8, 2018, Rodney was acquired by Cleveland Cavaliers and scored 15 points in his debut game in a convincing win of 121-99 against Boston Celtics. After helping his team make it to 2018 NBA Finals, which they ultimately lost to Golden State Warriors, he was 1st re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers on September 10, 2018, but was then traded to Portland Trail Blazers on February 4, 2019. There, Rodney managed to score a new season-high of 27 points on March 3, 2019, with a win of 118-108 against Charlotte Hornets. Rodney has also amassed a huge fanbase online with more than 300k followers on Instagram and more than 50k followers on Twitter.
Sun Sign
Libra
Residence
Portland, Oregon, United States
Nationality
Education
Rodney attended Meridian High School in Meridian, Mississippi, United States. He then enrolled in Mississipi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, United States, and was a freshman in years 2011 and 2012.
In 2012, Rodney enrolled in Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, United States, and remained there until his 2nd year (2013-2014). In April 2014, he declared for the NBA draft and abandoned his college education.
Position
Shooting Guard / Small Forward
Shirt Number
- 1 – Cleveland Cavaliers
- 5 – Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz
Girlfriend / Spouse
Rodney Hood has dated –
- Richa Jackson (2013-Present) – He met the fellow female basketball player at Duke University, where they both played college basketball and were in the same year. Richa was a guard/forward for their female team and was known for winning 2 ACC Tournament Championships and 3 ACC regular-season titles during her time there. Unlike Rodney, she pressed on with her university education and majored in theater studies and minored in sociology. On July 20, 2016, the pair got married, which was a few months after they welcomed their 1st child, son Rodney Hood Jr., on January 3, 2016. Two and a half years later, on April 18, 2018, Rodney and Richa ecstatically announced that their twins, Riley Hood, and Rich Hood were born into the world.
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Tall, athletic physique
- Chin strip/puff facial hair
Brand Endorsements
Rodney Hood has endorsed brands such as –
- 47Brand (2016)
- Panini America (2017)
- M5 Express (2017)
- Coca-Cola (2017)
- Nike (2018)
Religion
Evangelism
Best Known For
- Earning the SEC All-Freshman Team (2012) with his Mississippi State University college team, and Second-team All-ACC (2014) with his Duke University college team in the 2013-2014 season
- Playing for basketball clubs such as Utah Jazz (2014–2018), Cleveland Cavaliers (2018-2019), and Portland Trail Blazers
First Basketball Match
Rodney Hood made his professional debut playing for Utah Jazz versus. Houston Rockets on October 29, 2014, which ended with a score of 93-104 in favor of Houston Rockets.
First TV Show
Rodney Hood made his first TV show appearance as himself in an episode titled 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Championship: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics Game 1 of the sport series NBA on ESPN in 2018.
Rodney Hood Favorite Things
- Rapper –
- Basketball Shoe Brand – Nike’s System
- Basketball Player –
- Personal Quote – “In Mississippi, a lot of kids need hope and I want to be one of those guys.”
Source – , , ,
Rodney Hood Facts
- He is a big proponent of equality.
- He is very religious. His sister-in-law gifted him a book written by an Evangelical Christian pastor, Rick Warren titled Daily Inspiration for The Purpose Driven Life, which he carried everywhere he went.
- Rodney said that reading keeps him calm before a game, and gives him power over the gastrointestinal issues e.g. “nervous stomach” symptoms that he often experiences under tension.
- His maternal grandmother suggested he read a soothing passage from the Bible before a tough game, and he found “Psalm 23” to provide the biggest motivation for him.
- Before committing to Mississippi State University in 2010, he was named 5-star recruit by the website Rivals.com, and in 2011, was named the 16th player and the 5th small forward in the nation.
- Despite joining Duke University’s college basketball team in the 2012-2013 season, he had to sit it out due to NCAA transfer rules.
- In March 2016, Rodney hosted a basketball clinic for more than 150 children of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Memphis, Mississippi, United States.
- He brought 175 youth members of the Boys & Girls Clubs from Salt Lake, Utah, United States to watch an exclusive screening of The LEGO Batman Movie in May 2017.
- Rodney began hosting his annual “Rodney Hood Basketball Camp” in August 2014 for all the kids in his hometown – Meridian, Mississippi, United States.
- Fans and analysts alike felt very positively about the addition of Rodney and to the Portland Trail Blazers team in 2019. They were both honored for “playing a major role in reinvigorating the team in the season,” especially because Portland Trail Blazers’ center, Jusuf Nurkic, broke a leg at the end of the previous season.
- Rodney was praised by the ESPN announcer Mark Jones for hitting a three-pointer in the 4th quarter of the Portland Trail Blazers versus Denver Nuggets game on May 9, 2019, giving his team a 14-point lead, and ultimately winning 119-108.
- Many game analysts and ESPN announcers felt sorry for Rodney on May 21, 2019, because his team lost against Golden State Warriors. He lost against them with all 3 NBA teams he played for, and in 3 consecutive years from 2017 to 2019.
- Follow him on , , and .
Featured Image by Frenchieinportland / / CC BY-SA 4.0
Facts of Rodney Michael Hood
- Gender Male
- full nameRodney Michael Hood
- middle nameMichael
- nicknamesRod
- birthplaceMeridian, Mississippi, United States
- Date of Birth October 20, 1992
- Age 32 years 2 months
- Horoscope Libra
- Lucky Number 6
- Lucky Stone Peridot
- Lucky Color Blue
- Best Match for Marriage Gemini
- ethnicity / ethnic backgroundAfrican-American
- nationalityAmerican
- religionEvangelism
- net worth$4 million
- professionProfessional Basketball Player
- weight93 kg or 205 lbs
- height6 ft 8 in or 203 cm
- hair colorBlack
- eye colorDark Brown
- body type / buildAthletic
- high schoolMeridian High School
- collegeDuke University
- motherVicky Hood
- fatherRicky Hood
- brothersRicky Hood Jr.
- sistersWhitney Hood