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When the Golden State Warriors selected Moses Moody with the 14th selection in the 2021 NBA Draft, many were surprised that the talented wing was still available. After selecting Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh pick, many thought Moody would be off the board before Golden State's next selection. After Moody was chosen by the Warriors, many thought that it might take a while for him to find his groove in the NBA. So far, it looks as if Moses Moody might be ready to help out this Golden State team much earlier than expected.
It's something that NBA teams and general managers simply cannot predict. There's no telling if a young talented player is going to be able to contribute immediately as a rookie. It takes time for young players to develop confidence and adjust to the speed of the game. In the case of new Warriors rookie Moses Moody, it looks as if he's already starting to develop some confidence. Head coach Steve Kerr even recently said that Moody has become a quick learner throughout training camp.
“We’ve seen him in the last few days start to pick up on things...The first few days were kind of a whirlwind for him. But it’s a testament to his basketball instinct how quickly he’s picking things up.”
Can Moses Moody help the Warriors as a Rookie?
There's no doubt that the Golden State Warriors are going to be patient with the return of fellow star Klay Thompson. That means there's going to be plenty of opportunities for someone to step up and earn some minutes in the rotation. So far, it looks as if third-year wing Jordan Poole is the favorite to step up as a starter in place of Thompson. With Poole stepping into the starting lineup, the Warriors are going to need some contributors off the bench. After impressing with his play in the preseason, it looks as if Moses Moody could be a candidate to help this Golden State team early. Let's take a look at some ways in which the 19-year-old wing can help this team.
#3 Defensive Versatility
When the Golden State Warriors selected Moses Moody with the 14th overall pick, they understood that the former Arkansas product had the potential to become a two-way weapon for the organization. Although Moody is known for his offensive upside, he's oozing with potential as a defensive asset. Moody is listed at 6'5" but has great length with a reported 7'1" wingspan. He's a willing defender who has the versatility to defend multiple positions. With the mentorship of wing defenders like Andre Iguodala on the roster, Moody could surprise fans and contribute early as a defender.
#2 Offensive Upside
There's no doubt that Moses Moody has the offensive versatility to give the Golden State Warriors another weapon off the bench. Since his collegiate days with Arkansas, Moody stood out with his smoothness on the offensive side of the ball. He's got a smooth shooting stroke and understands how to get to his spots on the floor. Moody is an offensive talent who has the ability to score at multiple levels any time he is on the court. After impressing with his play in Las Vegas during the Summer League, Moody has continued to show the tools he has during his play in pre-season. In the Summer League, Moses Moody was named to the third-team All-Rookie team. He went on to average 16.3 points per game while shooting 44.4% from the field.
#1 Outside Shooting
For a Golden State Warriors team that loves outside shooting, Moses Moody has the potential to be a welcomed addition. Moody is a catch-and-shoot weapon any time he's on the floor. He has the potential to be an important addition as a floor spacer with his smooth shooting stroke and ability to light it up from extended range. So far in pre-season, Moody has shown that he has the ability to hurt opposing defenses with his shots from outside. As of now, Moody is one of the top three-point shooters for the Warriors team in preseason.
There's still plenty of time for Moses Moody to continue to build his case as a potential contributor in the rotation. If he keeps this type of impressive production up throughout the remainder of the preseason, it wouldn't be a surprise if head coach Steve Kerr tries to give the rookie a look throughout the early portion of the regular season. With a wing like Moody, who has the tools to help out Golden State in a variety of ways, it should only be a matter of time before he becomes an important part of the rotation.
