6-foot-1 Da’Nasia Hood can play all three frontcourt positions and she proved that this season, averaging 21.5 points and 11.8 rebounds for Kotka Peli-Karhut in Finland. After spending her whole amateur career in Texas, she signed her first pro contract in Puerto Rico. Last season she was supposed to play in Israel, but… Well, it’s her story, we’ll just let her tell it.
21 points and 12 rebounds per game in your first season in Europe! Are you happy with those numbers? Were you expecting such an easy transition to playing across the world?
I am okay with those numbers. I feel like throughout my first year of playing, I have grown a lot and have been able to work on some things that were not as strong in college. I think my transition has been interesting and allowed me to grow in multiple ways both on and off the court. I have been training since I got out of college, so I knew that there would be some translation of the work I was putting in on the court. However, I still know that there is a lot of room for me to keep growing to reach an even higher level of my game.
You were raised in San Antonio, played high school ball there and then went to Texas State in San Marcos, an hour away from home. Then you played as a pro in Puerto Rico, still relatively close… and warm. Suddenly you’re playing in Finland, which is not only far away, but cold. Like really cold. How did you adapt?
Yes, coming to Finland was definitely something I had to adapt to. The cold weather was not what I am used to being from Texas, but I just bought me a few coats and was open to the experience of living in a Nordic country and it has truly been a blessing.
In what way?
It was a blessing because it allowed me to come play in a safe country where I could focus on expanding my game. I’ve had the opportunity to meet great people and mature through a complete opposite experience from home. I’m grateful that I was invited and openly accepted into a new environment that has pushed me in ways I didn’t know I needed as far as continuing to find my consistency as a professional basketball player. Since college, all 3 teams I played with had women who were far more experienced than me who gave me advice, guidance, and little nuggets to continue growing as a player and a person. Finland allowed me to finally put those gems all together and I think they have jelled together well, as I have been able to keep moving in a right forward direction for my career.
On your team, you’re sharing the court with four other American-born players. Do you guys spend a lot of time together and if yes, what do you do? And what do you do not to get homesick?
The Americans, we do hang out from time to time. I think it’s special for you to get to come to a piece of foreign land and have the opportunity to get to know new people. However, having a few Americans who grew up not too far from you is cool because it reminds you that you aren’t going through missing your family and friends alone. We like to go out to eat and grab food together. It helps us all feel a little less homesick.
Finland, however, wasn’t your first choice; you were supposed to play in Israel. Can you tell us what happened there?
Before Finland, I signed a contract to go play in Israel. When I arrived, it was only my second night there when I had just went to practice during the day, and that night, and early morning the war in Israel intensified. Hamas attacked Israel, took hostages and bombed toward where I was staying, which resulted in me leaving and looking for another opportunity to play. I was grateful for Finland to come around.
Did you go to Finland immediately? Or was there some time off involved?
After I left Israel, I went home for about two weeks and during that time I didn’t know if I would have another great opportunity as an undrafted rookie. I was also trying to sort through what I had just gone through. My short experience in Israel opened my eyes from a political and worldly standpoint. I was definitely stressed around this time as I was jobless as well, but I kept working, training and believing that God would bring another opportunity to me. Then Finland reached out to me and I left in November. So I ended up being home for about a month.
What’s next for Da’Nasia Hood after the season will be over? Giving the W another shot (fingers crossed) and then back to Europe?
I don’t know exactly what’s next for me but I know my next step will be my best step yet. I am always giving the WNBA a shot because of the ability to play against some of the best ballers in the world at home in front of my loved ones. However, the limited spots and opportunities for professional women basketball players in a very competitive league make it hard for a mid-major underdog to get in. I know that my journey will take me down whatever pathway that is meant for me. So I am prepared to go play basketball wherever life takes me next.
A special thank you to Maxym Lejeune of LBM Management for arranging the interview.
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