Another Utah Jazz alum is calling it quits. Having last played in the NBA in 2022, former Jazz first-round pick Rodney Hood is retiring from the NBA. ESPN's Dave McMenamin was the first to report the details.
Per McMenamin, Hood took the time to thank everyone who has helped him on his NBA journey while explaining why he has decided to retire from the NBA.
Rodney Hood told ESPN he is retiring after 8 seasons in the NBA with UTA, CLE, POR, MIL and LAC. The 6-8 guard/forward made a comeback attempt with the Memphis Hustle in the G League last season before another injury told him it was time. pic.twitter.com/myhfEEdElQ
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 21, 2024
Originally drafted by the Jazz in 2014, Hood played in the NBA for eight years, playing for the Jazz, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, Raptors, Bucks, and Clippers. Hood actually experienced some high playoff success during his career, as he played for the Cavaliers during their latest run to the NBA Finals in 2018.
During that run, he joined forces with some past and present Jazz players, including Jeff Green and Jordan Clarkson. Hood went another lengthy playoff run in Portland the following season, as he helped them reach the 2019 Western Conference Finals.
After tragically tearing his Achilles not too long after the 2019-20 season started, Hood bounced from team to team but never quite got his mojo back. Hood tried coming back this year by playing for the Grizzlies' G-League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, but suffering another injury proved to be the final straw.
Reflecting on the Rodney Hood era in Utah
Hood was actually a pretty good pick for the Jazz, considering where they selected him. More often than not, late first-round picks pan out to nothing, and Hood did not fall into that category. From the jump, he was in the Jazz's rotation. Better than that, it only took until his second season for him to start putting up double-digit scoring numbers on a nightly basis.
Hood proved from the start that he could score. In fact, there were nights when he looked like the best player on the floor.
The only problem was that he couldn't do it consistently, which was a little baffling. As talented as he was, Hood's ability to occasionally score at the high rate he could made many wonder why he couldn't do it every night.
He may have never found consistency, but Hood left Utah on solid terms. Trading him led to Jae Crowder, which led to Mike Conley, so there are no hard feelings.
On a related note, retirement has been an ongoing pattern for the Jazz in 2024. Otto Porter Jr. retired from the NBA after the Jazz traded for him before the NBA Trade Deadline. Not too long after, Gordon Hayward surprised the masses when he announced his retirement from the NBA during the offseason.
Hood deserves props for trying to keep it alive, but also knowing when to take his ball and go home. All the best to him.