From the field to the court, the Blue Devils provided fans and media members alike plenty of memorable moments. With 2014 coming to a close, The Chronicle is taking look back on the year's biggest stories. We continue our countdown today with No. 7 by reflecting on Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood's decisions to forgo a second season in Durham and make the jump to the NBA.
It was fun while it lasted.
That was the general sentiment many had when freshman phenom Jabari Parker and redshirt sophomore Rodney Hood announced they would take their talents to the NBA following a 2013-14 season that had its fair share of high points and disappointments.
As interested as everyone was in Hood's decision, the entire sports world was on notice as Parker weighed his options in early April. After being bounced from the NCAA tournament early by Mercer, the Chicago native was clearly shaken after the game and many speculated as to whether or not his tournament reputation would be enough to keep him in Durham another season. Ultimately, it was not.
Parker—who averaged a team-high 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds—made everyone aware of his decision via Sports Illustrated April 17, as he penned a piece describing why he would not be coming back to play alongside the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation and would instead seek to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA.
"Ultimately, I boiled my decision down to two simple questions," Parker wrote. "Which environment -- college or the NBA -- offers me the best opportunity to grow as a basketball player? Which environment -- college or the NBA -- offers me the best opportunity to grow and develop off the court?The answer to both questions is undeniably the NBA."
One day after Parker announced his decision, Hood made his official.
In his lone season on the court for Duke, the southpaw team captain averaged 16.1 points per game and shot 42 percent from long range.
Parker would be selected No. 2 overall in the NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and Hood would go at No. 23 to the Utah Jazz. Parker is done for the remainder of the season now after suffering an ACL tear Monday Dec. 15. He was averaging 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski believed he was on pace to be named the NBA Rookie of the Year. Hood is currently averaging 5.2 points per game and 17 minutes of action for the Jazz.
READ:
Rodney Hood to enter NBA draft, will not return to Duke basketball
Jabari Parker to enter NBA draft, will not return to Duke basketball
Previously in The Chronicle's Top 10:
10. Shaun Wilson runs past Kansas, into record books
9. Ka'lia Johnson notches seventh triple-double in program history
8. Duke men's soccer upsets No. 1 North Carolina
Check back in with us on The Blue Zone tomorrow to see what moment we have at No. 6 on our list.
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