Julius Hodge
Julius Hodge | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 18, 1983 Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Basketball player, coach |
| Years active | 2005–2015 (player), 2015–present (coach) |
| Known for | ACC Player of the Year (2003–04), NBA player, international basketball career, college basketball coach |
Julius Melvin Hodge (born November 18, 1983) is a former professional basketball player and current coach of the Lincoln Lions men's basketball squad. An American-Antiguan native from Harlem, New York, Hodge played collegiate basketball with the NC State Wolfpack before being chosen 20th overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. He earned the title of ACC Player of the Year during the 2003–04 season and propelled NC State to the Sweet 16 round.
Early life
Born in Harlem, Manhattan, close to Yankee Stadium, Julius Hodge was raised by his mother, Mary Hodge, who balanced two jobs, including working as a teacher's aide, to provide for him and his siblings. His enthusiasm for basketball sparked at age five after attending a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, where Magic Johnson personally acknowledged him. When Julius was nine years old, his father was deported to Antigua and Barbuda, and they have been estranged since. His elder brother Steven, a former basketball player at Sullivan County Community College and Long Island University–Southampton, named him after legendary player Julius Erving.
High school career
While attending St. Raymond High School for Boys in the Bronx, Hodge received numerous accolades such as selection to the 2001 McDonald's All-American Team, First-team Parade All-American honors, New York State Mr. Basketball, New York Daily News Player of the Year, and Sports Illustrated’s Old Spice Athlete of the Month. In his senior year, he set a school record by scoring 684 points and averaged 24.5 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals per game. ESPN ranked him as the top shooting guard nationally and fifth overall among recruits. Despite expectations favoring Syracuse University, Hodge committed to North Carolina State University.
College career
In his freshman year with the NC State Wolfpack, Hodge led all ACC freshmen in scoring with an average of 10.7 points per game. He received second-team All-ACC Tournament recognition after averaging 12.3 points and was awarded the Lorenzo Charles Offensive Rebounding Award in 2002. Additionally, he ranked twentieth in ACC rebounding and was the sole Wolfpack player to record multiple double-doubles during the 2001–2002 season.
The following season (2002–03), Hodge earned First Team All-ACC honors while setting four personal bests during the ACC tournament and notching his seventh double-double in the final game. He placed seventh in free throw shooting percentage and achieved NC State’s first-ever triple-double. After guiding NC State to victories over both Duke and North Carolina, he was named ACC Player of the Week. He was also a finalist for the United States team at the 2003 Pan American Games and listed among 50 preseason candidates for the Wooden Award.
In the 2005 NCAA tournament, Hodge delivered a decisive game-winning basket against UConn. Following his senior season, he declared for the NBA draft but remained enrolled at NC State to complete his communications degree.
NBA
Hodge was chosen as the 20th pick in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. During the 2005–06 season, he participated in 14 games, averaging 0.9 points over 2.4 minutes per contest.
On January 5, 2007, Hodge started his first NBA game facing the Los Angeles Lakers. Shortly after, on January 11, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks along with Earl Boykins in exchange for Steve Blake. The Bucks released him on February 7, 2007. Later that year, Hodge competed with the 2007 Seattle SuperSonics summer league squad.
Italy
On August 10, 2007, Hodge inked a deal with Italian Serie A club Cimberio Varese, before moving mid-season to Legea Scafati. While playing in Italy, he encountered difficulties due to teams failing to fulfill salary commitments.
2007–08 season
Hodge signed with Australia's NBL team, the Adelaide 36ers, on December 21, 2007, joining as their second import player and replacing Mike Chappell. After finishing his stint with Legea Scafati and returning from New York, he made his debut against the South Dragons, helping secure a victory.
He was named the league's player of the week for round 19 on January 29 after posting averages of 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists across two games, highlighted by an impressive performance of 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists versus the Cairns Taipans.
On February 2, Hodge achieved a triple-double (24 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists), marking the first such feat for the 36ers since 1994. He earned back-to-back player of the week accolades for rounds 20 and 21 by averaging over 30 points alongside near double-digit rebounds and assists, including a remarkable game scoring 37 points against the Gold Coast Blaze. Hodge became only the second player in club history to receive three player of the week awards within a single season and was the first to claim them consecutively.
Although he competed in just half of the season, Hodge secured All NBL Third Team recognition. Subsequently, he sought a return to the NBA by trying out for the New Jersey Nets, signing a two-year contract without guarantees but ultimately did not make their final roster.
2008–09 season
Hodge rejoined the Adelaide 36ers on November 15, 2008, filling the spot left by departing import Mark Tyndale. In his initial week back, he earned NBL Player of the Week honors for round 10 after averaging 26.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 6 assists, and one steal per game despite team defeats. His standout effort included a game with 27 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists against the South Dragons, drawing praise from opposing coach Brian Goorjian, who described him as "possibly the best player in the league." On December 30, 2008, Hodge captured his second Player of the Week award for round 15 following a performance of 31 points on an efficient 68% shooting clip along with eight rebounds during a crucial victory over the Melbourne Tigers.
In a later revelation from 2011, it was disclosed that Hodge's recruitment had been funded through $27 million misappropriated by Christopher Wayne Fuss from Flinders University. Fuss received a nine-year prison sentence on July 8, 2011.
Melbourne Tigers
During the summer of 2009, Hodge participated in a Chicago Bulls mini-camp but was not selected for the team. In November 2009, he signed with the Melbourne Tigers to bolster a squad weakened by injuries, notably missing Chris Anstey. In his first game on November 14, he contributed 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, although the Tigers fell to the Townsville Crocodiles with a score of 98–91.
When Melbourne returned to Adelaide in December 2009, Hodge was met with boos each time he handled the ball. After a victory, he sparked controversy by stepping on Brett Maher's signature at center court and had to be escorted off the floor by police.
Trotamundos de Carabobo
In 2010, Hodge moved back to the Americas by signing with Trotamundos de Carabobo in Venezuela's Liga Profesional de Baloncesto.
Guangzhou Free Man
Following his Venezuelan stint, Hodge joined Guangzhou Free Man of China's National Basketball League in the summer of 2010, scoring 16 points in his first appearance against Shenyang.
Petrochimi Bandar Imam
Later that year, Hodge accepted a financially rewarding contract from Petrochimi Bandar Imam BC competing in the Iranian Basketball Super League. Although he acknowledged the league's high standard, he departed in March 2011 after his contract was terminated due to unpaid wages.
Tsmoki-Minsk
In 2011, Hodge signed with BC Tsmoki-Minsk of the Belarusian Premier League. However, economic challenges caused delays in payments, leading him to terminate his contract prematurely.
Jiangsu Tongxi
Returning to China later in 2011, Hodge played for Jiangsu Tongxi, where he averaged 25.6 points across seven games and earned recognition as the All-Chinese NBL Import Player of the Year.
Saigon Heat
In December 2011, Hodge joined the Vietnamese team Saigon Heat competing in the ASEAN Basketball League. He was released from the team in February 2012. Reflecting on this period, Hodge described it as an "adventure," highlighting that many teammates balanced basketball with conventional day jobs.
Paris-Levallois
By November 2012, Hodge was part of Paris-Levallois Basket in France's top-tier league, the LNB Pro A, where he reunited with former college adversaries and youth circuit acquaintances such as Sean May and Jawad Williams.
Saint John Mill Rats
On February 4, 2013, Hodge signed with the Saint John Mill Rats of the National Basketball League of Canada, becoming the ninth ex-NBA player to join the league. Later that month, on February 25, the Mill Rats purchased his contract from Paris-Levallois Basket.
National team
Hodge represented the Antigua and Barbuda national basketball team during the 2011 Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championship.
Post-playing career
On May 18, 2015, Hodge was appointed Director of Player Development at the State University of New York at Buffalo by head coach Nate Oats, who leads the Buffalo Bulls. On March 29, 2016, he joined former college coach Herb Sendek as an assistant coach at Santa Clara University.
On April 26, 2018, Hodge accepted an assistant coaching position under Jean Prioleau at San Jose State. In July 2021, he took on an assistant coaching role with the Little Rock.
Personal life
On April 8, 2006, Hodge was critically wounded in a shooting incident while driving along Interstate 76 in North Denver, surviving the attack by a narrow margin; the investigation into this event remains open. Throughout his professional career abroad during offseason periods, he made his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, the city where he completed his college basketball tenure. By 2013, Hodge was married with two children and identified himself as an avid enthusiast of films.