Kembali
Ahead of the No. 2-ranked Duke basketball team's eventual 84-50 home win over the Army Black Knights in Cameron Indoor Stadium on Monday night, it was apparent that 2012-14 Blue Devil hybrid guard Rodney Hood has now taken on a role with the program. And following the blowout victory, fifth-year head coach Jon Scheyer confirmed as much to the media in his press conference.
"So, Rodney is back; it happened very quickly here," Scheyer explained about the 34-year-old Hood. "You know, my first year back [as a Duke assistant under Mike Krzyzewski], I was able to coach Rodney. And obviously, he was a great player here, a great pro player. But he's back in a coaching intern role and just taking that next step in his life and his journey."
After spending his freshman season with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2011-12, Hood transferred to Duke. At that time, transfers had to sit out a year, so Hood spent the 2012-13 campaign watching from the bench before eventually starring for the 2013-14 Blue Devils alongside one-and-done forward Jabari Parker.
Hood left Durham following the 2013-14 season, in which he averaged 16.1 points for a Duke basketball squad that finished 26-9 overall, and heard his name No. 23 overall at the 2014 NBA Draft. He went on to average 10.4 points per game across his eight seasons as a journeyman in the league, spending time with the Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Clippers.
"Our guys couldn't be luckier," Scheyer noted about his players benefiting from so many former Duke basketball talents in town in various coaching roles, including Rodney Hood now, of course, plus Scheyer himself, associate head coach Chris Carrawell, assistant coach Tyler Thornton, graduate assistant Jack Scott, and player development assistant Javin DeLaurier. "All of a sudden, you have Rodney Hood, Javin DeLaurier; obviously, you have Tyler and 'C-Well.'
"Having guys that have played here before, I just think that is so meaningful. And I love the fact that we could get Rodney back."
Scheyer and his high-powered Blue Devils (1-0, 0-0 ACC) will now gear up to host the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in Cameron Indoor Stadium at 8 p.m. ET Thursday (ACC Network). The high-powered bunch will then travel to Chicago for a Champions Classic showdown against the No. 6-ranked Michigan State Spartans in the United Center on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN).