Prospect Profiles Presented by Panini: Moses Moody

Prospect Profiles Presented by Panini: Moses Moody

Former Razorback Looks to Land in the Lottery

by Joe Gabriele (@CavsJoeG)
7/23/21 | Cavs.com

There are Draft picks based on potential and promise and picks based on a body of work. Arkansas’ Moses Moody is somewhere in between.

A Little Rock native, Moody came to Fayetteville as a top 40 recruit and exceeded those expectations in his single season – leading the Razorbacks to a surprise run to the Elite Eight and putting himself into the Lottery conversation after averaging 16.8ppg and 5.8rpg, earning First Team All-SEC and SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

Moody topped the 20-point plateau on seven occasions as a freshman, including three 28-point games in his final eight outings of the year. The 19-year-old left no doubt that he can fill it up.

At 6-6, 205 with a long 7-1 wingspan, Moody has prototypical off-guard size. Offensively, Moody has an outstanding mid-range game and, despite struggling in the NCAA Tourney, his long-range game improved throughout the season. He also excels at attacking the rim, isn’t afraid of contact when he gets there and shoots 81 percent from the stripe. He is what the experts call an efficient three-level scorer.

On the defensive end, Moody isn’t projected as a stopper at the next level, but his extremely long wingspan, lateral quickness and intelligence off the ball show that he has much room for improvement. He definitely uses his size well and can guard multiple positions. Moody’s also a tough, instinctive rebounder, including on the offensive glass.

As many positives as Moody brings into the Draft, experts wonder about his upside and whether he’ll develop into a team’s first option. He doesn’t have an overly explosive first step and isn’t an above-the-rim-type finisher. He’s also not much of a playmaker from the guard spot. In six postseason contests with Arkansas, he finished with three total assists.

Moody was better than expected with the Razorbacks and he proved to be a winning player, as much as anything – leading their improbable NCAA run before they ran into the eventual Champions in the Elite Eight. And he could be the type of player who one day punishes teams for passing on him.

Moody earned First Team All-SEC and Freshman of the Year honors in his single season at Arkansas.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

PLAYER SNAPSHOT

STRENGTHS For starters, Moody has ideal size for an off-guard with a tremendous wingspan which will allow him to defend multiple positions. Moody isn’t the flashiest prospect we’ve seen, but he’s a versatile scorer, willing defender and a winner. He’s got excellent instincts, always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

Moody got better from long-range late in the season – drilling four bombs in the regular season finale vs. South Carolina and five more in the SEC Tournament against LSU. He’s even better around the rim, getting to the tin on a regular basis and living at the free throw line, where he shoots a high percentage.

Defensively, he’s a high IQ player on and off the ball who can check his position and some small forwards and uses his big frame and quickness against smaller guards. He’s also a very good rebounder with a great nose for the ball.

WEAKNESSES Moody isn’t the explosive athlete that some of the players at the top of the Draft are, he’s a work-in-progress defensively and isn’t a natural playmaker from the backcourt.

Scouts wonder whether his first step is quick enough (and his handle solid enough) to create his own offense against bigger, more experienced defenders at the next level.

In many ways, it’s a matter of that word – “upside.” Moody projects as a solid NBA player, but will he be worth a high pick? Teams will have to figure that out.

HOW HE'D FIT As of today, the Wine and Gold’s backcourt situation looks solid – with Darius Garland and Collin Sexton starting most of the way, with last year’s top pick, Isaac Okoro, getting 21 starts due to injuries to the top picks in the previous two Drafts.

But the NBA offseason is a funny thing, and with the Cavaliers possessing No. 3 overall on Thursday night, there’s any number of ways they could go.

One of those ways probably won’t include Moses Moody with their top pick. But Cleveland has gotten back into the First Round before, and deals happen fast when teams are on the clock. Where he’ll end up, we’ll know in a week.