For the second year in a row, former Meridian High School basketball standout Rodney Hood has brought his popular camp to the Meridian area, and again, the Utah Jazz player drew scores of kids to local host sites of the 2016 Rodney Hood Elite Basketball Camp.

Last year the camp drew more than 250 participants, and this year, it far surpassed the targeted amount of 250 slots. The Rodney Hood Elite Basketball Camp runs through today.

“We actually have 350 — our hearts couldn’t turn them away,” said Ricky Hood Jr., Rodney Hood’s brother and unofficial camp director. “That many kids were excited about coming. We had 260 kids last year, and we ballooned to 350 this year, and we’re grateful to the city of Meridian and its public schools because we’re using five different gyms to run this camp.”

Meridian Community College, MHS’ girls’ basketball gymnasium, Northwest Junior High School, Carver Middle School and the Boys and Girls Club of Meridian hosted 350 basketball players ages 9-18 from around the state. Participants received professional instruction from Hood, fellow NBA players Cameron Payne (Oklahoma City) and Skal Labissiere (Sacramento), Israeli Premier League player and former Ohio State Buckeye forward LaQuinton Ross and a number of local youth coaches.

“It means a lot to know that my personal brand is growing, and that I came from the same background as these guys playing in hot, sweaty gyms from the high school ranks and things like that,” Rodney Hood said. “They see that, and they want to come up in the same footsteps. It means a lot. When I was that age, there were Monta Ellis and Travis Outlaw and guys like that. It means a lot for them to come out here.”

MHS was the host site for the camp’s juniors and seniors. Wildcats starting point guard Jay Malone was among the many who participated in sessions at drill stations and skill development exercises and played in the camp’s three-on-three and five-on-five game sessions.

“We’ve been taught how to use your triple threats really well, and how to create space — because Hood is the ambassador for that. He’s really been teaching his art,” Malone said. “It’s been really fun, too. It shows that we can make it, too. It really gives us the hope and the drive to do the same thing he did.”

Robert Woodard II helped guide Columbus High School to the MHSAA Class 6A state title in March. Saturday, he played alongside some of the players he faced in the state basketball tournament at the Mississippi Coliseum earlier this year.

“It’s great to have the top players in Mississippi here all in one gym going at it to push each other to see what we have, and to make each other better,” Woodard said. “(I’m learning) a lot of fundamentals and skills and mental things out here. It’s kind of hot in the gym, and they’re pushing us to our limit and teaching us to push through it.”

Former Wildcats head coach and current Hinds Community College head coach Randy Bolden was also in attendance Saturday. He said despite Hood’s ascension to NBA fame, he’s remained humble and grateful for the support he has in Meridian.

“Since day one when I took the job back in 2007, Rodney’s always been a personable person, and always a giving person,” Bolden said. “So it doesn’t surprise me to see him come and give back to the community. And I think it’s just a beautiful thing.”