This week, we give our take on the best fits for each of Duke's three draft prospects. Today, we take a look at the best fit for Rodney Hood.
Name: Rodney Hood
Position: Small Forward
2013-14 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 46.4% FG, 42.0% 3PFG, 32.9 MPG
Best Fit: Charlotte Hornets
Hood is probably one of the more interesting prospects in the entirety of the draft if not for the sheer fact that he could reasonably go anywhere from No. 8 to No. 21. The best spot for the Meridian, Miss. native is just a couple hours away from the homely confines of Cameron Indoor Stadium—Charlotte.
The Hornets need an outside threat. Although many have them pegged to take Nik Stauskus or Doug McDermott, Hood would provide the same kick-out threat as Stauskus but would bring an added driving threat. One of Hood's more underrated skills is his quick first step and ability to explode to the rim. He made use of a vicious pump-fake all season to get defender off the ground, allowing him to drive and create shots for himself and others.
With Kemba Walker constantly driving and knocking down mid-range elbow shots and 'Big' Al Jefferson dominating the paint, having a guard/forward able to hover around the 3-point line ready to shoot or drive at a moment's notice is exactly what the Hornets need in order to make the next step in the Eastern Conference. Hood would provide this, as he knocked down 71 deep balls in his single year at Duke. Kemba Walker led the Bobcats in 3-pointers made last season with 109 but did so with only 33.3 percent accuracy. In fact, of the players to shoot at least 40 3-pointers for the then-Bobcats, only Anthony Tolliver had a percentage greater than 40 percent. The acquisition of veteran Gary Neal will help, but the Hornets need a player like Hood who they can depend on for more than just the long ball. Unless the ever-developing Michael Kidd-Gillchrist learns how to shoot, the Hornets will be a spot where Hood can see the floor right away.
Charlotte is not the only prime location for Hood. Teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls have both reportedly shown interest and will be candidates come Thursday night. It is also worth mentioning the fact that Hood had to miss the majority of his workout with the team due to illness, something Duke fans know all to well about. His recurring stomach issues may drop him down a few spots, but that is all dependent upon how seriously the Hornets take his ailments. But at No. 8, the Hornets will have the option to select Hood first, and with a growing fan-base that already knows Hood's name thanks to the proximity of Duke as well as the strides the team made last year, Charlotte would provide Hood with the opportunity to win and play, a chance the majority of lottery picks don't have.
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