Utah Jazz 2015-16 Review: Rodney Hood

A look back on what was a season of growth for Utah Jazz wing Rodney Hood.

The 2015-16 season came to a heartbreaking end for the Utah Jazz as they fell short of their goal to make the playoffs–a goal that, just a week prior to their final game, had seemed like a sure thing.

Still, underneath the heartaches and frustrations expressed during the end-of-the-year press conference were messages of hope. The season, no matter how frustrating, revealed a number of reasons to remain optimistic.

“This season was quite unique,” said Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey. “It’s hard to say that we’re disappointed when your point differential is better, your record is better, all of our players improved individually.”

Rodney Hood is just one of those players who progressed over the season. Coming off a year in which he averaged 14.5 points, 3.4 boards, 2.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 42.0 FG%, the sophomore guard managed to solidify his position in the starting lineup–Hood started in all 79 games that he played.

He also established himself as a go-to offensive option and proved to be a valuable asset. On a team that often lacked in terms of offense, Hood played an important role as a scorer. Hood scored double digits in 61 games and he went for more than 20 points in 15 games this season.

An impressive wingspan, an eight-foot-seven standing reach and surprising quickness gave Hood a handful of opportunities to be useful on the defensive end as well.

Progressive Responsibility

Hood’s field goal percentage has improved since last season, despite the fact that he was taking more shots. As a rookie, Hood started in just 21 of the 50 games he played and averaged 8.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.7 APG and one TO. He shot 41.4 percent while taking just 7.5 shots per game. Shooting more doesn’t always mean shooting better, but in this case, Hood averaged 12.3 shots and improved his shooting to an even 42 percent.

These numbers, although seemingly average, are remarkable when considering the second-year player is just barely scratching the surface of his potential.

Head coach Quin Snyder showed confidence in Hood’s progress and even drew up plays that relied on his abilities in crunch time. There were a number of times when the ball ended up in Hood’s hands during the final seconds of the game.

Whether or not he made those shots is besides the point. The important thing is that Hood graciously welcomed the responsibility and viewed it as a leadership opportunity.

“I try to lead by example, to play hard and be poised through the whole game. My teammates respect me for that,” Hood told The Salt Lake Tribune in March. “It’s about playing hard. That’s how you earn respect. Leadership just comes. It’s not something you talk about. It’s not something you call for yourself. It just comes by the way you play.”

Room for More Improvement

Without a doubt, Hood has improved his overall game. We already know he is capable of playing incredible basketball; just look at his game against the Memphis Grizzlies, where he scored a career high of 32 points. His 30-point half against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers is another example of his ability–

His decisiveness, dedication and skill are as obvious as ever. In games where he shoots 46 percent from the floor, Hood averages 17 points. The Jazz have grown to rely on him offensively.

Hood, however, lacks the stability that comes with experience. After scoring 32 points against Memphis, Hood scored 23 points in his next game against the Houston Rockets and then went on to score just nine points against San Antonio. The impact that Hood’s consistency (or lack thereof) has from behind the line is most evident when looking at post All-Star break games: Hood averaged 42.2 percent in all wins and just 29.3 percent in losses.