NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Odell Hodge put together a masterful playing career in the silver and blue. Now he'll look to do the same as he joins the coaching ranks.
Hodge is returning to Norfolk to join Mike Jones's staff as special assistant to the head coach, the program announced in a release Tuesday morning. It's Hodge's first coaching job in the United States after spending his career in Europe following his college playing days.
“Coming back home, means the world to me," Hodge said in the release. "This is the only place that I would have left Europe for. The time was right to come back and working with Coach Jones makes it perfect. I'm the new kid/old man on staff and I am looking forward to learning a lot from these outstanding coaches."
Hodge played overseas from 1997-2013 before switching over to the coaching side. He coached in Belgium for four seasons and has spent the last five years as sport manager for a basketball developmental program, also in Belgium, leading the group to three youth national championships and four senior national championships.
An All-American at Old Dominion, Hodge's college career spanned from 1992-1997. He earned CAA Rookie of the Year honors in 1993 and followed that up with two conference player of the year accolades in 1993 and 1997. He ended his career as one of just four players to score at least 2,000 points and pull down at least 1,000 rebounds, amassing 2,117 points and 1,086 boards. Hodge missed the 1994-1995 season with a knee injury.
"It is always easy and exciting to welcome one of our own back home," Jones added in the release. "But what Odell represents is truly unique and our players will benefit greatly. He has run an entire professional organization in Europe and helped some of Belgium’s best players develop. His infectious personality and ability to connect with anyone will make him an immediate superstar in our locker room and in the community.
Hodge is the first announced member of Jones's coaching staff. The two were teammates at Old Dominion from 1992-1995.
