NBA

Nugget Hodge in fair condition after being shot

Guard hit several times in lower body but expected to make full recovery

Brian Bahr / Getty Images

Julius Hodge, 22, was the Nuggets’ first-round draft pick in 2005 out of North Carolina State.

Forward Reggie Evans said the players learned of the shooting when they arrived at the Pepsi Center for the shoot-around. No other Nuggets were at the club with Hodge, Darr said.

“I’m shocked, really shocked,” Evans said. “It’s crazy, really crazy.”

Hodge was Denver’s first-round draft choice in 2005 out of North Carolina State. The 6-foot-7 guard was recalled from the NBA’s developmental league last month after Earl Boykins broke his hand. He has appeared in 14 games for the Nuggets this season, averaging 0.9 points in 2.4 minutes.

“He’s a good guy, a good kid,” Karl said. “I think he has taken being the bottom man on the totem pole real well. He wanted to go down to Austin, and most rookies don’t want to be demoted, but he wanted to go play, and I respect that. In general he’s gotten better. His season will be the summer league, and he is ambitious, he will be ready to play next year.”

At Austin, Hodge has averaged 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds.

The incident is the latest in a long list of setbacks that have whittled away at the Nuggets since their opener, when forward Nene tore his right anterior cruciate ligament. Kenyon Martin (knee), Marcus Camby (back), Eduardo Najera (ankle) and Boykins are all dealing with nagging injuries that have either sidelined them or limited their availability.

Still, the Nuggets were closing in on their first Northwest Division title since 1987-88.

“We have been dealing with injury all year long and our perseverance is our personality,” Karl said. “This is something we have to persevere through, and we only have maybe eight or nine bodies healthy for practice, and that will limit us in how much we really go at practice.”

Vandeweghe said he was certain the team would be affected by Hodge’s shooting.

“It’s obviously tough because Julius is a very, very popular player and extremely well-liked and really one of the good guys.”

Asked if he knew whether the team would get a roster exemption for Hodge, Vandeweghe said that wasn’t his main concern.

“The forefront, obviously, is to make sure Julius is fine, which he is. And then to cooperate with the police in finding out who would do something like this.”

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