F Rodney Hood (transfer to Duke)

[Buckskin86]

Rivals Profile
Scout Profile
ESPN Profile

Small forward
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian
AAU: MBA Hoops

Ht:6'7"
Wt:180 lbs
Class:2011 (High School)

Evaluation

June, 2010: Hood is a smooth small forward who can lead the break in transition or initiate offense for his team. He is a very skilled ball handler driving by defenders off the bounce or dropping off nice passes to teammates. Hood keeps defenders honest with his stroke from behind the arc which he is very capable of knocking down when given some space. His length and size enable him to be very active on both ends of the floor. Over the course of the year he has become more physical on the defensive end of the floor, while committing himself to being a better rebounder. Defensively, he has foot speed and agility to guard on the perimeter, but still lacks some physical strength to bang with someone playing with their back to the basket. Overall, Hood, who at times reminds you of a Scottie Pippen-type, will be a nice addition to a high major program.

January, 2010: Rodney has a very unique skill set for someone of his size. He is what some people might call a point forward because of his ability to handle the ball under pressure and make the right decisions passing the ball. One word that comes to mind immediately is "smooth". Rodney can make mid-range jump shots off the dribble with feathery touch or move out to 3pt range knocking them down while contested. On Monday he did a much better job being aggressive in other fazes of his game, especially on the glass. Hood rebounded both ends of the floor, and harassed LaDarrin Williams from Richwoods into a dismal shooting night. He finished the game with 27pts and 12rebs. This high IQ guy has been compared to Jalen Rose on several occasions which is right on.

Rodney Hood (Meridian, Miss./Meridian) has had a great week of camp and games. The left-handed, versatile forward lists FSU, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Alabama, Mississippi State, Ohio State and Tennessee as schools he's interested in.

Men's basketball recruiting: Anthony Davis dominates at King City Classic - ESPN

Rodney Hood Highlights 1 - Rivals.com Video

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyJ6tj3tFoA]YouTube - Rodney Hood- adidas Nations 2009[/ame]

 

[MaxBuck]

Meridian, MS is not just the south. It is the Deep South. Life there is so different from life in Ohio it might as well be in another continent.

It will be interesting to see Rodney's recruitment play out, but if he elects to attend Ohio State you could knock me over with a feather.

 

[Buckskin86]

Friday Super 64 Standouts

Rodney Hood, MBA Elite: Hood torched the Michigan Mustangs for 27 points in the morning. The Meridian (Meridian, Miss.) wing looks all of 6-8 and has developed a dangerous jumper out to the arc. He was also great off the dribble and paired with Ross to give MBA Elite two towering primary ballhandlers. Hood ticked off Florida State, Georgia Tech, Marquette Michigan State and Seton Hall as schools that stood out. According to Hood, all have offered.

Las Vegas Day 2: Ross working on redemption at Super 64 - MaxPreps News

 

[Buckskin86]

Sunday, July 25, 2010
U of L checking out Mississppi star
Expect a few new names to surface in the coming weeks on the Louisville basketball recruiting front and one is likely to be Rodney Hood.

The U of L staff has watched the forward from Meridian, Miss., several times and coach Rick Pitino recently spoke to Hood on the phone to begin the process.

"They are definitely in the mix," said Hood, who plays for MBA Hoops.

The 6-foot-8 Hood, who is ranked No. 34 nationally by Rivals.com and No. 49 by Scout.com, showed a complete and steady all-around in Las Vegas for the MBA team. He hit two or more three-pointers in two games and was solid with the ball.

Hood said Georgia Tech, Florida State, Ohio State, Georgetown, Marquette, Mississippi State and Seton Hall were among the other schools inquiring the most.

Hood's father, Ricky, played at Murray State University in the early 1980s.

courier-journal.com | Jody Demling - Recruiting blog | The Courier-Journal

 

[wadc45]

BuckeyeGrove.com - Orlando: Hood stands out

Hood shows off the skills

MBA Elite is a team that has a chance to go a long way down in Orlando, and the play of wing Rodney Hood will probably determine how far they advance. Hood is a very skilled 6-foot-7 player who is unique and difficult to defend when he has it working.

Hood did have it going on Wednesday for MBA Elite, and he carried them to a win in the second half. After a fairly quite first half, Hood decided to take over, and he did it using his mid-range game.

A super smooth player, Hood is able to get by his defender, and from there he has a unique ability to score in the mid-range. In an era where the mid-range game is a lost art, Hood has a two dribble pull-up jumper that is absolutely pure. He hit several of those jumpers from 15-17 feet in the half, and just proved to be able to get where he wants whenever he wants on the basketball floor.

Along with being able to knock down the mid-range shot, Hood also attacked the rim off the bounce, and used his athleticism and length to score inside. Mostly a perimeter player, Hood has a skill set that most prospects his size don't possess, and when it is all clicking for him he is one of the best in the country.

 

[wadc45]

Another update:

BuckeyeGrove.com - AAU Nationals- Pool play wraps up

Rodney Hood, SF, MBA Hoops- It's been a very good summer for Hood and he had another nice outing on Wednesday. He's always had great size for the wing, but now that he's developed a consistent jumper and learned to mix it with his game off the bounce, he's reached a new level of play.

The MBA Hoops Elite wing tandem of LaQuinton Ross and Rodney Hood drew a nice crowd of coaches. Among those checking them out were Marquette's Buzz Williams, Florida State's Leonard Hamilton, Paul Hewitt of Georgia Tech, John Thompson from Georgetown, Alabama's Anthony Grant and Arkansas' John Pelphrey. There were also assistants from Mississippi State, Ohio State and Louisville amongst the crowd.

 

[Buckskin86]

Meridian's Hood dazzles

Rodney Hood broke a scoring record in the Mississippi HIgh School All-Star game that had stood for 50 years. In the 3 1/2 weeks since on the national circuit, Hood has done nothing to slow down his fast-rising stock with college recruiters. The versatile 6-foot-8 senior from Meridian seems to be a consensus pick as the state's No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2011. Hood said Monday night that Florida State, Georgia Tech and Mississippi State top his list. "Those are the schools I have the most connection with right now," he said.

Former JPS star LaQuinton Ross grows up, learns life lessons in time away from Mississippi On his own | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger

 

[wadc45]

Rivals $ - Hood has manageable list

8/18

By Snow...considering Florida State, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Alabama, Georgetown, Louisville and Ohio State...says Ross committing is a plus for OSU and will visit...talks about Coach Kirby moving from MSU to Georgetown.

 

[LitlBuck]

Does Buckeye Planet have a drool icon:) I think if he were to become a Buckeye that he would have to pull the trigger before Thompson.

 

[Buckskin86]

University of Louisville coach Rick Pitino started the morning off with one of the guys that has become a high priority for the Cardinals - Rodney Hood. Pitino was the first to visit the 6-foot-7 prospect from Meridian, Miss. His father, Ricky, played at Murray State. Rodney Hood is also looking at Alabama, Florida, State, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, UCLA, Marquette and Ohio State. He's a big-time player.

courier-journal.com | Jody Demling - Recruiting blog | The Courier-Journal

 

[wadc45]

Scout $ - Hood Sets Two New Visits

9/23

Has visited Alabama and Florida State...has set-up visits to Louisville and Georgetown...UCLA, Mississippi State and Marquette are also in the mix.

FSU would be on a major tear for 2011 if they landed Hood, to go along with Aaron Thomas, Terry Whisnant, Marc Brown and JUCO Kiel Turpin...

 

[Buckskin86]

Originally Published: October 27, 2010
Rodney Hood commits to Bulldogs
Mississippi State made it a top priority to keep the four-star SG at home
By Dave Telep
ESPN Recruiting

Mississippi State didn't always lead for Rodney Hood, but it finished first on the day it mattered most. Hood, No. 30 in the ESPNU 100, committed to the Bulldogs over Louisville and Florida State on Wednesday.

"We didn't want Rodney to limit himself to the state or the SEC but the fact that he grew up in this state and the state knows who he is brings something different," Ricky Hood, Rodney's father, told ESPN.com.

Hood (Meridian, Miss./Meridian) is a 6-foot-7 swingman who was outstanding last summer with his traveling team. A versatile wing who can pass, handle and shoot, he became a priority recruit for a number of programs in his region and nationally. Mississippi State wanted badly to keep him home.

"The thing that hit home was that they missed on some great players that went pro," Ricky Hood said. "From Monta Ellis to Travis Outlaw, they've told him that he could come in and be the face of their program."

Allegiance played a significant role in Hood's decision. His parents, immediate family and friends have always supported and attended his games. There was a loyalty to them in addition to the pull his father said he felt from being the state's top player.

"He said why not Mississippi State?" Ricky Hood said. "The best players in Alabama go to Alabama. The best players in Louisiana go to LSU. Why shouldn't the best player in Mississippi consider Mississippi State?"

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/basketball/mens/news/story?id=5733341

 

[DZ83CK]

Why shouldn't the best player in Mississippi consider Mississippi State? (For argument's sake I'll ignore the part about how "consider" =/= "attend")

How about going to a school with no practice facility (at least they didn't have one when Ben Hansbrough transferred due to the lack of a basketball practice facility), being on a perennial bubble team that never wins their league, and playing for a head coach that agreed in principle to coach Clemson about six months ago.

I'm not saying he's making a bad decision per se, but Mississippi State is hardly a destination school for basketball these days. This is one kid that should've held out until spring for better offers IMO.

 

[OhioState001]

Doug Lesmerises
‏ @PDBuckeyes

Ohio State, Duke among schools interested in Mississippi State 6-8 transfer Rodney Hood, avg 10 and 5 as a FR, according to @GoodmanCBS

 

[BarraKudla05]

Why shouldn't the best player in Mississippi consider Mississippi State? (For argument's sake I'll ignore the part about how "consider" =/= "attend")

How about going to a school with no practice facility (at least they didn't have one when Ben Hansbrough transferred due to the lack of a basketball practice facility), being on a perennial bubble team that never wins their league, and playing for a head coach that agreed in principle to coach Clemson about six months ago.

I'm not saying he's making a bad decision per se, but Mississippi State is hardly a destination school for basketball these days. This is one kid that should've held out until spring for better offers IMO.

^^^This guy is smart^^^