This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Two weeks.
That's the rest that Rodney Hood will allow for himself this offseason.
One day after lockerroom cleanout, the Utah Jazz shooting guard was afforded the biggest honor of his young NBA career. He was named the Western Conference rookie of the month, after averaging 16.7 points, three rebounds and three assists during April. He scored a career-high 25 points against the Sacramento Kings. He scored 21 points and dished 8 assists in a win over the Portland Trailblazers. Simply put, he turned a difficult rookie season into a successful one with his play down the stretch.
"We're all extremely proud of him and the job he's done," Hood's agent Travis King told The Tribune. "He fought through injuries and he showed why the Jazz drafted him. He loves Quin Snyder's system. Once he was able to get a chance to play, he got comfortable."
Hood's offseason schedule is already planned out. He will take the next two weeks to recover from the season. He will work out in Florida, and also work out in Los Angeles. He will come back to Utah for about a month and a half, which includes both summer leagues the Jazz plan to play in. His objectives are to improve his strength, improve his shot and improve his game off the dribble, and also become quicker and more agile.
Hood is the third player in franchise history to win Rookie of the Month, joining Karl Malone and Trey Burke.
Tony Jones