From the DMV to the City of Angels: Rodney Rice Reignited
August 11, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Rodney Rice didn't plan for his journey to look like this.
Injuries. Transfer portal. Starting over, twice, but the 6'5 guard from Maryland isn't chasing sympathy. He's chasing something bigger: redemption.
Now at USC, fully healthy and sharper than ever, Rice is ready to reintroduce himself and this time, he wants everyone to remember the name.
"They've called me Hot Rod since I was a kid," Rice said with a grin. The nickname fits. His game is fast, fiery and fearless, all traits he first flashed in the gyms of Prince George's County, Maryland.
"The DMV has the best basketball in the world, I think," said Rice. "You find a lot of things in that area that motivate you, whether it's the competitiveness, the talent around you, the talent you'll face in other great players and just people in the past."
First picking up a ball with his father at a young age, Rice knew basketball was the sport for him. "I feel like it was just an unspoken thing really, that basketball was what I was going to do," he recalls. "I feel like that's what I was best at too." Although he dabbled in football and soccer as a kid, he always knew he would follow in his father Rodney's footsteps.
"My dad played basketball at the collegiate level and has been through it all," said Rodney. "He's been around the game for so long and just listening to him and all the knowledge he has - has greatly benefited me." It was his father who first recognized that Rodney's game had layers beyond simply "running to the corner and being a shooter." That insight unlocked a more complete skill set, one that would soon put Rodney on the map as he stepped onto the high school stage.
The DMV native made his mark at DeMatha Catholic, a national high school powerhouse. Averaging 18.5 points per game over three seasons, he became the go-to scorer for the storied program. As a senior, he was named First-Team All-Met and ranked the No. 3 player in Maryland and No. 10 combo guard in the country.
With suitors like Louisville, Alabama and Georgetown knocking, Rice committed to Virginia Tech, but almost immediately, the climb got steeper.
"I broke my ankle the summer before my freshman year," Rice recalls. "Rehab was a lot. Every day I was just in there knowing I had to go in and do something that was beneficial to my recovery. It was hard to keep on that path, but I knew it was going to put me in the right direction if I followed through with it."
After nearly six months of rehab, dedication and perseverance, Rice would finally make his collegiate debut against Syracuse in January of 2023. With just one game under his belt as a Hokie, Rice broke his finger, triggering the rehab process once again.
"It was hard watching practice, not being able to do stuff and having to rehab every day," said Rice. Missing another month and a half of the season wasn't the freshman year he had once envisioned, but he'd return to play in late February of 2023 and make an immediate impact.
He played just eight games during the 2022–23 season, but his flashes were undeniable as he tallied 17 points against NC State, 11 at Duke and 10 versus Florida State.
After an unexpected season plagued by injury at Virginia Tech, Rice took time to rediscover his passion for the game and get his body stronger and healthier during the 2023-24 season.
He didn't go far to find his footing again, as he'd end up at a school he'd been familiar with since a young age, the University of Maryland. At Maryland, back in his home state, he found his rhythm, and then some.
He appeared in all 36 games for the Terps during the 2024-25 season, including 32 starts and helped lead the squad to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2025. He averaged 13.8 points and dropped 20 or more points in six different games, including 26 against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament.
"I think my perspective on staying close to home changed," he said. "Being able to go home, eat a home-cooked meal and see my sisters, that stuff matters."
After a breakout year with the Terps, Rice was ready to take his game to the next level, trading the DMV for the City of Angels. Why USC though? His answer, "the opportunity, both on and off the court."
"Coach Muss is an NBA guy," said Rice. "He knows what he's talking about, but being around other high-profile people with big dreams is also a big selling point of this school."
Rice joins a USC team with big ambitions, and he's ready to lead.
"My individual goal is to be a better point guard, a better decision-maker and a leader," he says. "I'm trying to get everyone on the same page to buy into what we're doing and just rally the troops."
And after reaching the Sweet Sixteen last year?
"Making the Sweet 16 is an accomplishment for sure, but you always want to do better than what you've done," says Rice. "I feel like we have a good chance to do that in my opinion with the team we have, but everyone just has to buy in."
A desire to be like some of the greats who have come out of the DMV has motivated Rodney since he was a child.
"Guys like Kevin Durant, Mike Beasley, Quin Cook and older guys like Adrian Dantley - you look at those guys and they made the league and made a name for themselves as soon as they got out of that area."
On the surface, Rice might come across as quiet and intense but ask his friends and they'll tell you he's actually "goofy, funny and smart." Underneath it all, there's a calmness that sets him apart from countless other athletes.
"I don't let things bother me like most people do," says Rice. "Depending on what it is, I have that 'I don't care' mentality." That includes not falling into the trap of Hollywood's bright lights.
"There's so much going on, and for me personally, I know how to stay focused and disciplined. So, it's not a negative distraction for me."
When asked who he'd want sitting courtside at a USC game, Rice didn't hesitate "probably like Snoop Dogg and Kevin Durant." Fitting. Rice grew up idolizing KD and the DMV legends who paved the way. Now, he's next in line.
The former four-star recruit isn't concerned with narratives. He's been knocked down, overlooked and at times doubted, but never defeated.
Fully healthy, fully locked in, fully back.
And this time, Hot Rod is here to stay.
Injuries. Transfer portal. Starting over, twice, but the 6'5 guard from Maryland isn't chasing sympathy. He's chasing something bigger: redemption.
Now at USC, fully healthy and sharper than ever, Rice is ready to reintroduce himself and this time, he wants everyone to remember the name.
"They've called me Hot Rod since I was a kid," Rice said with a grin. The nickname fits. His game is fast, fiery and fearless, all traits he first flashed in the gyms of Prince George's County, Maryland.
"The DMV has the best basketball in the world, I think," said Rice. "You find a lot of things in that area that motivate you, whether it's the competitiveness, the talent around you, the talent you'll face in other great players and just people in the past."
First picking up a ball with his father at a young age, Rice knew basketball was the sport for him. "I feel like it was just an unspoken thing really, that basketball was what I was going to do," he recalls. "I feel like that's what I was best at too." Although he dabbled in football and soccer as a kid, he always knew he would follow in his father Rodney's footsteps.
"My dad played basketball at the collegiate level and has been through it all," said Rodney. "He's been around the game for so long and just listening to him and all the knowledge he has - has greatly benefited me." It was his father who first recognized that Rodney's game had layers beyond simply "running to the corner and being a shooter." That insight unlocked a more complete skill set, one that would soon put Rodney on the map as he stepped onto the high school stage.
The DMV native made his mark at DeMatha Catholic, a national high school powerhouse. Averaging 18.5 points per game over three seasons, he became the go-to scorer for the storied program. As a senior, he was named First-Team All-Met and ranked the No. 3 player in Maryland and No. 10 combo guard in the country.
With suitors like Louisville, Alabama and Georgetown knocking, Rice committed to Virginia Tech, but almost immediately, the climb got steeper.
"I broke my ankle the summer before my freshman year," Rice recalls. "Rehab was a lot. Every day I was just in there knowing I had to go in and do something that was beneficial to my recovery. It was hard to keep on that path, but I knew it was going to put me in the right direction if I followed through with it."
After nearly six months of rehab, dedication and perseverance, Rice would finally make his collegiate debut against Syracuse in January of 2023. With just one game under his belt as a Hokie, Rice broke his finger, triggering the rehab process once again.
"It was hard watching practice, not being able to do stuff and having to rehab every day," said Rice. Missing another month and a half of the season wasn't the freshman year he had once envisioned, but he'd return to play in late February of 2023 and make an immediate impact.
He played just eight games during the 2022–23 season, but his flashes were undeniable as he tallied 17 points against NC State, 11 at Duke and 10 versus Florida State.
After an unexpected season plagued by injury at Virginia Tech, Rice took time to rediscover his passion for the game and get his body stronger and healthier during the 2023-24 season.
He didn't go far to find his footing again, as he'd end up at a school he'd been familiar with since a young age, the University of Maryland. At Maryland, back in his home state, he found his rhythm, and then some.
He appeared in all 36 games for the Terps during the 2024-25 season, including 32 starts and helped lead the squad to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2025. He averaged 13.8 points and dropped 20 or more points in six different games, including 26 against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament.
"I think my perspective on staying close to home changed," he said. "Being able to go home, eat a home-cooked meal and see my sisters, that stuff matters."
After a breakout year with the Terps, Rice was ready to take his game to the next level, trading the DMV for the City of Angels. Why USC though? His answer, "the opportunity, both on and off the court."
"Coach Muss is an NBA guy," said Rice. "He knows what he's talking about, but being around other high-profile people with big dreams is also a big selling point of this school."
Rice joins a USC team with big ambitions, and he's ready to lead.
"My individual goal is to be a better point guard, a better decision-maker and a leader," he says. "I'm trying to get everyone on the same page to buy into what we're doing and just rally the troops."
And after reaching the Sweet Sixteen last year?
"Making the Sweet 16 is an accomplishment for sure, but you always want to do better than what you've done," says Rice. "I feel like we have a good chance to do that in my opinion with the team we have, but everyone just has to buy in."
A desire to be like some of the greats who have come out of the DMV has motivated Rodney since he was a child.
"Guys like Kevin Durant, Mike Beasley, Quin Cook and older guys like Adrian Dantley - you look at those guys and they made the league and made a name for themselves as soon as they got out of that area."
On the surface, Rice might come across as quiet and intense but ask his friends and they'll tell you he's actually "goofy, funny and smart." Underneath it all, there's a calmness that sets him apart from countless other athletes.
"I don't let things bother me like most people do," says Rice. "Depending on what it is, I have that 'I don't care' mentality." That includes not falling into the trap of Hollywood's bright lights.
"There's so much going on, and for me personally, I know how to stay focused and disciplined. So, it's not a negative distraction for me."
When asked who he'd want sitting courtside at a USC game, Rice didn't hesitate "probably like Snoop Dogg and Kevin Durant." Fitting. Rice grew up idolizing KD and the DMV legends who paved the way. Now, he's next in line.
The former four-star recruit isn't concerned with narratives. He's been knocked down, overlooked and at times doubted, but never defeated.
Fully healthy, fully locked in, fully back.
And this time, Hot Rod is here to stay.
Players Mentioned
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