Former Bucks Wing Calls It a Career After 8 Years

The journeyman had a solid run with Milwaukee.

Dec 22, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Rodney Hood (5), Houston Rockets center Christian Wood (35) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Semi Ojeleye (37) battle for a rebound after a missed free throw in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images / Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Eight-year NBA swingman Rodney Hood is calling it a career.

Hood released a lengthy statement to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, declaring his intention to retire.

The journeyman had a short stint with the Milwaukee Bucks at the tail end of his NBA run.

"I'm just grateful for the game of basketball," Hood wrote. "To come from Meridian, Mississippi and go on to Duke University, become a 1st round NBA draft pick and travel the world playing the game that I love, it all makes me extremely grateful. I will always be appreciative of not only the journey, but the people I met along the journey. And I continue to be incredibly thankful for my family who were there to support me every step of the way."

Now 32, Hood was selected out of Duke with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Across 448 career regular season games with the Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Bucks and L.A. Clippers, Hood logged averages of 10.4 points on .420/.366/.841 shooting splits, along with 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.7 steals per game.

The 6-foot-8 vet has been out of the league since the 2021-22 season, which he split between the Bucks and Clippers. In his 39 contests for Milwaukee (then fresh off its lone championship of the Giannis Antetokounmpo/Khris Middleton/Jrue Holiday era), Hood averaged 3.3 points on .351/.300/.929 shooting splits, 1.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists a night as a deep-bench reserve. He was traded to L.A. as part of a four-team deal in February of that season.

Hood, who had been dealing with major health issues, failed to find an NBA home during the subsequent season, but he did suit up for Team USA during the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers in November 2022. In 2023-24, Hood latched on with the Memphis Grizzlies' G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. Hood didn't log much run with the Hustle. Across five regular season appearances, he averaged 4.8 points on 37.5 percent shooting from the field and 35.3 percent shooting from the 3-point line, 2.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.6 steals a night.

"It was tough to retire," Hood acknowledged. "But I'm at peace with it. I tried really hard to hold on. I had an Achilles tear and I was kind of a shell of myself. When I got a chance to get healthy again, I tried to play in the G League this past spring and got hurt again. It was just my body telling me that I needed to move on."

More Bucks: Doc Rivers Offers Disappointing Ultimatum on Ryan Rollins Injury