Jon Hood photo by Clay Jackson
By KEITH TAYLOR, The Winchester Sun
Jon Hood is anxious to get back on the court. In fact, he’s been counting down the days to the start of preseason workouts, and Big Blue Madness can’t come soon enough for Hood, who sat out last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a pickup game last summer. From start to finish, Hood watched from the sidelines and behind the scenes as Kentucky captured its eighth national title.
“I can’t wait to play this year,” Hood said. “I’m anxious and ready to go. That’s one of the steps toward playing (a game), because you’ve got to practice first. I’m ready to start practicing.”
Watching his teammates achieve success was just as painful as the rehabilitation process for the 6-foot-7 Madisonsville native, Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball in 2009. Because of his injury, Hood gained a medical redshirt and will get a mulligan for his junior season. Going into the preseason, Hood, a senior in the classroom, said his knee is “100 percent” a year removed from surgery.
“It was hard going through practices and games not being able to play,” he said. “It’s one of the hardest things I think I’ve ever done. It was extremely frustrating and the hardest thing — not being able to play basketball for a year.”
Although he wasn’t on the court, Hood gained knowledge through watching and analyzing from the bench. he hopes that extra knowledge will translate into success on the court.
“I got to learn a little bit about coaching and what coach (John Calipari) wants,” he said. “It was good to see that side of it. I think that will (play) a role into my improvement this year and after I get done (playing) and I wanted to coach. For this year, (sitting out gave me the opportunity) to understand a little bit better about what he’s saying.”
Hood scored 46 points during his first two seasons with the Wildcats, and he is the only player remaining from Calipari’s first Kentucky squad three years ago. He’s seeking a breakout season that has eluded him during his first three years in Lexington.
“I’ve been around a while, and I know what to expect,” he said. “I know how to play, I know when to go, when to shoot, when not to shoot. I can’t really say whether it will be a breakout year or not, I just want to get out and play.”
Hood participated in the 2011 Final Four and has rubbed elbows with 15 NBA draft selections, including top picks Anthony Davis and John Wall. He added that last year’s Final Four experience was a memorable one despite not being able to contribute to the team’s success.
“It was fun being around those guys,” he said. “We were really, really close. Obviously, I wish I could have been out there playing with them, but you can’t change it now and you might as well live with it.”
At the same time, Hood wasn’t surprised by Kentucky’s 38-2 season and its run-the-table performance during the Southeastern Conference regular season.
“I thought that we had the potential all along,” he said. “Everybody thought we had that potential. It’s just something that we had to come out and do.”
Hood said “people make too much of a big deal” about his Kentucky roots and being a part of a national championship squad.
“Being a Kentucky boy, a Kentucky kid, it doesn’t matter, it was the Final Four,” he said. “The Final Four is a college basketball player thing, the national championship is a college basketball player thing, it’s not a Kentucky-kid thing.”
Understandably, Hood could live off the first three years of memories, but he wants to be a contributor instead of a bench-warmer for the next two seasons. He’s not sure if he will be a Darius Miller-type contributor or even to the magnitude of former Kentucky standout Josh Harrellson, but he said he “just wants to get out and play” and see what transpires.
“I’ll lead as I can and go from there,” he said. “I think I’m a leader on and off the court, but I just want to lead when I can and help the guys whoever and whatever I can, whether that’s on or off the court. I’ll be glad to do it. I’ve got to get into it and start doing it.”
Since getting clearance to return to the floor, Hood has improved his offensive skills. He placed an added emphasis on his outside shot, with an increased spin on the ball and focusing on a comfortable release on the ball.
“My shot has gotten a lot better, and I am better than I was before I got hurt,” he said. “I just want to get back out there and play and show people what I can do.”
11 Responses to Jon Hood counting days until he can resume practice to get ready for season
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Poor guy, won’t get any playing time this year either. However, that National Championship ring is still shining!!!!
Cal actually seems to think Jon could help the team in a variety of ways this year. We’ll see
What a stupid comment make to a young man who has worked his fanny off to get back from an ACL. You Obviously have never played an organized team sport in your life. If you had, you would never make a comment like that about your team.
Jon has paid his dues at UK and I believe Cal will make the most of experience this year, on and off the court. He has a real opportunity to be a leader for this team. Jon, we are behind you 100% and look forward to your contributions this season. You will get your opportunity and we will need you to be your best!!
Blah blah blah. I have played, you don’t know me and that’s A STUPID comment. IF you would take the time to read, not jump to conclusions, I simply stated the obvious. HE WILL NOT GET THE amount of time WE UK FANS think he will get.
Larry, Cal says that about ALL the players…does he not?
EXACTLY.
YOU PEOPLE QUIT BEING SO SENSITIVE. GEESH.
Have you watched how Calipari plays his stars? Have you noticed that he does not sub even in blowouts? Calipari will give his stars…the ones that must move out after this year…the bulk of the playing time and the glory. Noel, Goodwin, Poythress will be front and center. Either Harrow or Mays will carry the most of point guard play. Wiltjer will be the first off the bench in case of foul trouble. Hood and Beckham will seldom play and Malone and Long are window dressing. Calipari likes to have a small Kentucky connection and Hood and Polson are that connection. Derek Willis, a 2013 state of Kentucky recruit will play little if he actually does come. Hard work means little when Calipari must give playing time to his stars so that he can recruit more stars for the next year. It is a highly successfull system and the Hoods, Beckhams must realize that the glory that will come to them is being a part of something super and not from much on the court action. Now if some of these recruits don’t work out or if, Heaven forbid, someone gets hurt things may be different.
FTR, I THINK he should start. He’s been there, done that and put his time in. EVEN with his injury, I believe he deserves to start. THAT’S why I said, “Poor guy…”
A MR. KY SHOULD, if he’s earned the right (he has) to start at UK.
EXCUSE me for stating my OPINION.
AAANNNNNDDDD, if “you” would care to go back and read any of my prior comments, you will find ZERO derogatory comments concerning PLAYERS at UK.
Hood deserves to start because he was a Mr. Kentucky? Hood is not in the league with the type of super recruit that Calipari is bringing to Kentucky.
A Mr. Ky is (should be) good enough to start, he is good enough. He has earned the right. He work(s) hard, knows the system, the staff, etc. I don’t mean he should play every single minute of every single game. If he wasn’t in the league, why is he on the team?
In 2009-10 Elisha Justice was Mr. Kentucky basketball. He walked on at Louisville. He contributed but he never started. He has since transfered to Pikeville. Should UK have recruited him and should he have started. The truth is that Calipari is recruiting the very best talent in the country and there is some one that is good enough from another country, he will go after him too. There was a time when Kentucky boys dreamed of playing at UK and there have been plenty of small town Kentucky kids who have made it big at UK. Those days are past. Unless a player comes down the street with steller talent, we are only going to get role players and window dressing from the state of Kentucky even if they are Mr. Kentucky Basketball. Hood cannot play ahead players like Cawley-Stein, Wiltjer and Poythress. Calipari cannot afford to play Hood as a favor to the kid. His studs have to have the limelight. Other wise they can’t move on and make room for next year’s team. When UK’s stars start to stay and bunch up the cycle will be broken and the cream of the crop will have to play elsewhere and our domination will be over.
Who knows what will happen, it’s all speculation at this point. I do know that Cal values all his players and if you look at all of his UK teams there has always been a four year guy who has contributed and, in some cases, made the difference in how far the team went. Maybe this year it’s J. Hood’s turn? The best thing we can all do is root for all these young men. It will be fun watching the team develop, as it always is , and seeing the team play together as one unit. Cal doesn’t get enough credit for his coaching because he is lights out on recruiting. Anyway, Go Cats!