DENVER — Denver Nuggets rookie guard Julius Hodge was shot and wounded early Saturday while driving on a highway after visiting a nightclub but is expected to make a full recovery, officials said.
Sheriff's deputies said the 22-year-old player was struck in his lower body. The team said he was in fair condition.
Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr said Hodge had visited a musician friend who worked at the club, but the motive for the shooting wasn't known and no suspects were in custody.
"There was no indication of an altercation before the shooting," Darr said.
Nuggets coach George Karl said he believes Hodge was hit three times in his legs.
"The preliminary reports are that he's going to be fine. He should be able to play again in two to three weeks," Karl said.
Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said Hodge was in good spirits when the two talked.
"He's obviously a little shaken up, but he's doing fine," Vandeweghe said.
Hodge was on Interstate 76 in north Denver at about 2 a.m. when another vehicle pulled alongside and someone inside fired several shots, Adams County Sheriff's Sgt. Louis Dixon said. A passenger in Hodge's vehicle flagged down another motorist, who took Hodge and the passenger to the hospital.
Darr said Hodge's passenger was "mildly injured." Darr wouldn't identify the hospital.
Witnesses told investigators two people may have been in the shooter's car.
Dixon said investigators don't know the name of the motorist who stopped and are hoping that motorist and any other witnesses come forward.
Dixon said Hodge's passenger has been interviewed and is not a suspect. He declined to release the passenger's name and would not say what kind of vehicle Hodge was driving.
"Apparently Julius did nothing to provoke this at all," Vandeweghe said.
The mood was somber at a Nuggets shoot-around before Saturday night's game against Golden State in Denver.
"There was a bit of trauma hitting us this morning. We were really solemn, crying," Karl said. "Right now we are just happy that everything is OK."
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.
BUTLER, THOMAS MISS WIZARDS GAME: The Washington Wizards played without guard Caron Butler and center Etan Thomas on Saturday night against the Miami Heat. Butler missed his second straight game because of a sprained right thumb, while Thomas was sidelined with lower back pain.
NAJERA EXPECTED BACK: An MRI on the right foot of Denver forward Eduardo Najera revealed a compression fracture, though the Nuggets expect him to be ready for the playoffs. Najera was injured when he came down on someone's foot in the second quarter of Denver's 110-108 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. He will be re-evaluated in a week.
BACK STRAIN SIDELINES WEBBER: Philadelphia forward Chris Webber sat out the 76ers' game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night with a lower back strain.