NY Knicks draft: 3 March Madness guards to target in NBA Draft
By Toby Jaffe
Knicks Draft: A Lights Out, Thibs friendly 3-and-D guy
Eric Musselman’s Arkansas squad is the 3 seed in this year’s “South” region, and freshman Moses Moody is their leading scorer at 17.4 ppg.
Moody is a Little Rock, Arkansas native and stands at 6’6’. He attended High School at Montverde Academy in Central Florida. Other alumni of Montverde include RJ Barrett, Joel Embiid, D’Angelo Russell, to name just a few.
Every Moody scouting report talks about his shooting ability. He can knock down shots just about anywhere on the floor, at any time; whether it’s by way of crafty, methodical dribble moves or active off-ball movement. He can drain shots in half-court sets and in transition and does so with poise and assuredness.
Though his 38% from 3 on 5.2 attempts per game is not eye-popping, there is a smoothness and fearlessness to Moody’s offensive game that suggests he can and will build on those numbers in the pros.
He’s not Allen Iverson or Kyrie Irving with the ball in his hands, but he has an assortment of simple moves to get himself open with the ball and score.
In fact, watching Moody can definitely bring to mind the likes of Immanuel Quickley; though Moody is 3 inches taller. On top of the shooting ability and simple dribble/scoring move proficiency, Moody mirrors Quickley in his ability to get to the foul line. Moody shoots 6 free throws a game on 82%, always a good indication of future NBA success.
The Knicks now exist within the world of Tom Thibodeau, and in that world, no amount of offensive ability can substitute or make up for defense. Luckily, Moody is a solid perimeter defender. Musselman has often tasked Moody with defending opposing teams’ best guards and wings. Some websites list Moody as having a 7’0’ wingspan, and he uses that length, mixed with solid footwork, to slow his opponents down.
Moody also uses his length well in rebounding situations, averaging just over two offensive rebounds a game and six total.
As for weaknesses, the most glaring is probably the fact that Moody plays much smaller than 6’6 on offense. He sorely lacks the athleticism of 6’6’ NBA stars like Jaylen Brown, Zach Lavine, and RJ Barrett (not to mention Zion Williamson!) and relies heavily on the aforementioned dribble and off-ball moves that can be time-consuming, especially when one thinks about the NBA shot clock and the brisk pace of the modern game. This probably limits his star potential.
All in all, Moody is a hard-working, gritty player that would fit in well with Thibs and his scheme. He would also immediately check off a need for 3 point shooting.