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“Jon’s knee injury was unfortunate because we were really counting on him to be a key contributor this season and he’s such a great kid. We haven’t ruled out Jon for the season, but he can use this year to his benefit to gain some experience, become a year older and come back with a different purpose.”
[/I][B]– Head coach John Calipari[/B]
Jon Hood had worked hard all off-season, adding pounds and muscle, until a “freak” accident. Rated as the 40th best prospect in the nation by Rivals.com when he came to Kentucky in 2009, the 6-foot-7 Hood was part of a heralded rookie class that included NBA Draft picks John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton.
Hood played in 17 games as a freshman, averaging 1.2 points as UK reached the Elite Eight.
Hood scored a career-high seven points in a win over Coppin State in December and played a career-high 20 minutes in a Southeastern Conference win over Louisiana State at Rupp Arena.
Reason Why Jon Hood Would Be Good :
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Versatility[/B] Hood has skills. He can play both forward spots and shooting guard. He isn’t a three point threat like Kyle Wiltjer but he will knock down open 12-15 foot jump shots. In high school, Hood was taller and more athletic than most of the 6’0″ guards and 6’3″ forwards he played against. He was a perimeter player who scored many of his points in the mid-range area because of this size. Offensively, he needs to make the adjustment to the college game. The Cats are thin at guard and can use Hood’s game in the lineup.
[B]Defense[/B]
Hood’s defense is the area of his game that needs the most work. He has to improve his ability to defend the ball consistently. Cal’s defensive motto is “maul the ball”. Hood will have to get with the program or he won’t get on the floor much. He has plenty of time to improve. One problem he has had is a lack of confidence. He looked as if he was thinking too much about what to do as opposed to just getting after it. Wiltjer has also struggled on defense. If he is in the game, Hood may have to sit as Cal may not be able to tolerate another weak defender in the game. Hood can avoid this with improvement.[/SIZE][/FONT][/I] Depth and leadership
[SIZE=2][FONT=comic sans ms][I]If the title team had any injury problems or major foul trouble, they would have been in trouble. An eight man rotation would be nice but we haven’t seen much of that from Coach Cal yet. Hood won’t play 25 minutes a game but if he can come off the bench and play 10-12 quality minutes, it would help. He also can provide leadership for the young Cats. Hood has a high basketball IQ that would be nice to have on the floor late in close games[/I][/FONT][/SIZE][B].[/B]
Hard work[B] If he can get his knee healthy and work hard, he can make a difference. Hard work made a huge difference for Josh Harrellson. Playing against top competition in practice should help him get to where he needs to be to contribute. How much Hood plays is up to Hood. :uk:[/B]
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