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Utah Jazz: Rodney Hood, Trey Burke Hit ESPN’s #NBARank

By Ryan Aston

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Mar 12, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Trey Burke (3) and guard Rodney Hood (5) react during the second half against the Houston Rockets at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz won 109-91. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

As the 2015-16 NBA season draws ever nearer, ESPN continues its #NBARank countdown on Twitter. After six Utah Jazz players appeared on the list between Nos. 400 and 201, two more have hit the rankings in recent days.

Second-year wing Rodney Hood showed up at No. 185, while the team’s de facto starting point guard, Trey Burke, came in at No. 195.

For Hood, the ranking represents a seismic shift in how he’s perceived as an NBA player. In last year’s #NBARank effort, the former Duke star came in at No. 377. Given the strides made by Hood after the All-Star Break last season, it’s plain to see why ESPN’s panel of voters have ranked him nearly 200 spots higher this time around.

Coming into the league as a four-year college player and a late first-round pick, many had low expectations for Hood as a rookie. After being plagued by plantar fasciitis early in the season, the Jazz wing wasn’t really afforded the chance to change any minds.

The season’s second half was obviously a different story. Hood averaged 11.8 points per game and shot 42 percent from three-point range after the break and went on to win Rookie of the Month honors in April. While Rudy Gobert was the main catalyst for Utah’s 19-10 finish to the year, Hood’s contribution cannot be overlooked.

The best part about all of this–he’s not done yet. Despite the strides he made last year, the best is yet to come for Hood. While he checks in at No. 185 today, Hood could be in the top 100 or better this time next year. He continues to impress with his work ethic and skill set and figures to be a bigger part of the Jazz offense in 2015-16.

Burke, meanwhile, saw his stock go in the opposite direction.

After coming in at No. 118 last season, he continued to play inefficiently on offense and struggled to defend bigger, faster guards last year. Eventually, he lost his starting spot to Dante Exum. As a result, Burke dropped a cool 77 spots in these rankings.

Nonetheless, Burke could be primed for a comeback campaign with the Jazz this year. With Exum out presumably for the season, the former Wooden Award winner has been given another chance to prove that he can be a starting-caliber point man in the Association.

At Monday’s Jazz Media Day, GM Dennis Lindsey revealed that Burke was the team’s offseason MVP in terms of improving his physical body. After playing at 190 pounds last year, Burke comes into training camp about ten pounds lighter. According to Burke, he’s kept his strength, but added the quickness necessary to better navigate the NBA game.

Although he fell in these and other rankings, Burke is putting his best foot forward to ensure better results on the court, which could enable him to outperform expectations and climb the polls of public opinion. He’ll have to compete to solidify himself as a starter, but if his offseason work and continued poise are any indication, big things may be in store for Burke.

Next: Utah Jazz Preseason Primer

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