This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
On Saturday night, sophomore guard Rodney Hood scored a career-high 32 points in an overtime win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
By the following morning, that performance had dropped down a spot on Hood's list of personal bests.
The 23-year-old Hood and his fiancée, Richa Jackson, welcomed their son, Rodney Hood Jr., into the world on Sunday around 9 a.m.
"I was scared. I never been so scared, because we weren't expecting him so soon," said Hood, who said his son was born about six weeks earlier than expected. "He's here now. He's healthy."
After overcoming that initial fear, Hood said his emotions ran the gamut Sunday.
"They were everywhere," he said. "I actually saw the [birth], so it was a bit nasty, a bit exciting, just an amazing feeling getting a chance to see that. It still really hasn't hit me that I'm a father now."
Hood joins teammates Trey Burke, Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors as new fathers over the past year or so.
"It's a special thing to watch guys go through that opportunity and that process for the first time," said Jazz coach Quin Snyder, whose youngest child, Madeleine, was born in October of 2014. "It's neat. It's special. I think the way the Jazz as an organization embrace that, too, is unique. There's a reason they call it the Jazz family and even more so now."
Hood said he's received some advice from his teammates: "Sleep while you can."
But the shooting guard still has a lot to learn.
Asked if he had any experience changing diapers, Hood laugh and said, "Not at all. Actually the classes I was supposed to take were next week, so I'm a little behind schedule."
Back to back
After making what appeared to be some progress over the last couple of days, it would seem Favors' absence from Monday morning's shootaround would constitute a setback. But Snyder addressed concerns that Favors' injury might be more something more serious than back spasms.
"It's something we want to be very conscious of and make sure there's nothing going on," he said. "There's nothing structurally [wrong]. We've obviously confirmed that up and down to make sure he's OK and not in any jeopardy."
Favors missed Monday's game — his sixth straight — and when he and his ailing back might be back on the court is still uncertain.
"The question is when do you become able to play and play effectively," Snyder said. "Anybody that's had back trouble, it's tricky. Every situation is a little different."
Noncontact foul
The Rockets had to use a full timeout just 58 seconds into Monday's game when center Dwight Howard lost a contact lens after being fouled. The center, not exactly known for his proficiency at the free-throw line, missed both of his foul shots.
Twitter: @tribjazz