4 Jon Hood

Jon Hood was born on May 9, 1991, to Brian and Kelly Hood. A native of Madisonville, Kentucky, he starred at North Hopkins High School, where he averaged 29.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 3.1 blocked shots as a senior while recording 18 double-doubles in 22 games. Hood was named 2009 Kentucky Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year, earned a No. 40 national ranking from Rivals.com, and committed to Kentucky in 2008 before joining John Calipari’s highly acclaimed 2009 recruiting class alongside John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Eric Bledsoe.

Hood spent five seasons at Kentucky, overcoming a torn ACL that forced him to miss the entire 2011-12 campaign before returning to finish his career. Although injuries limited his statistical production, he became a respected teammate whose perseverance and commitment embodied the program’s culture during one of its most successful eras. Hood played in 86 games, was a member of Kentucky’s 2012 NCAA championship team, helped the Wildcats reach three Final Fours, earned a degree in Community Leadership Development in 2013 before adding a second degree in Communications in 2014, and was recognized on the 2014 SEC Community Service Team for his work away from the court.

Among Hood’s memorable moments were his contributions during Kentucky’s 2010 NCAA Tournament run, including points and a season-high three rebounds against Wake Forest, and his return from knee surgery, highlighted by a pair of late three-pointers against Samford and a three-pointer on his first shot in the 2013 SEC Tournament. He also finished his Kentucky career by making nine consecutive free throws. After graduating, Hood coached at Frederick Douglass High School, spent the 2020-21 season as an assistant coach at Kentucky Wesleyan, and joined the Missouri Western coaching staff in 2021, continuing to mentor young players while remaining closely connected to the Kentucky basketball family.