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A Fundamental Freshman Living His Dream
11/17/2019 11:54:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Jim Sumner, for Go Duke The Magazine
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Wendell Moore isn't the highest-ranked of Duke's four recruited freshmen. He isn't as big as Vernon Carey, doesn't shoot as well at Matthew Hurt, doesn't dunk like Cassius Stanley.
But he might be the best important player of that quartet.
Moore has been called an "old-school player," the kind of tough, versatile, mid-sized player who has keyed some of Duke's best seasons.
Think David Henderson. Or Chris Carrawell. Or Justise Winslow.
Moore certainly doesn't object to the idea.
"I think it's a compliment," he says. "It means someone who keeps it fundamental but gets the job done. I kind of slow it down for myself and play the pace I like to play."
Moore is 6-foot-6, about 215 pounds, with the wingspan of a bigger man. He's fast, strong, skilled and ultra-competitive.
Those attributes helped make him one of North Carolina's best-ever prep players. He led Cox Mill High School in Concord — that's one county east of Charlotte — to a pair of 3-A state titles and helped the United States to gold in the 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Moore also gained national recognition playing for Chris Paul's CP3 AAU team.
Moore's all-around game was on display last April at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Ore.
This isn't one of those defense-optional showcases like the McDonald's All American game, but rather a contest between a United States team and an international squad that the players take so seriously that they defend, run plays, pass to the open man and compete for 40 minutes — the kind of game that rewards players like Moore.
Moore stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, hitting 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-3 from the line.
Most of all, he made several big plays down the stretch, as the USA won 93-87.
You may have noticed that Moore's teams tend to win. Teammates describe him as the most competitive player on the team.
"He hates to lose," Duke basketball director of operations Nolan Smith says. "That's one thing all of his teammates have noticed since the first day he arrived at school. If you're on his team, he will be pushing you to win."
Moore owns it.
"I hate losing. Everything I do, I have to win. My mom is the same way. I think I got it from her."
Moore has long wanted to help Duke win. The other Big Four schools recruited him but Moore has been a Duke fan, imagining himself as a Blue Devil.
"I've been a Duke fan since a young age," he explains. "I've watched all the guys come through, like Jayson Tatum, even guys like Grant Hill, knowing what Coach did with those guys and hoping I can play a similar role."
He's been at Duke since June. With international and top-tier AAU experience, Moore says he's not nervous at the attention.
"This college experience I've been waiting for. Playing, practicing, lifting, it's what I expected it to be. Everybody is athletic. The speed of the game is different. There's a shorter window to get things done."
Moore is an improving shooter and a good enough ball-handler that Duke is practicing him some at point guard.
"My shooting has really improved since I got here. The coaches have been working with me on it. Offensively I feel like I can do everything really well. Coaches are emphasizing being aggressive."
"He has a tough, competitive edge," Smith notes. "He does so many things well on the court. He's so versatile. He's a winner. He brings that every single day in practice, whether it's at the point, shooting guard, small forward. He's a physically-gifted young man. He's only going to get better with time and we're just excited to see how he's going to get better and develop."
But defense is where his bread is buttered.
"I'm really excited about Wendell," Mike Krzyzewski says. "He can guard four positions. He's a winner. He can play everywhere on the court."
Smith agrees.
"We're very excited about our defense this year. We know that Tre (Jones) is one of the best defenders in the country. But add Wendell on the wing — his length, his strength — he can guard anybody and he takes pride in that."
"It's all about being aggressive," Moore says. "Defense is something I can always do. It doesn't take a lot of skill, just effort, and effort is something you can always give."
That doesn't mean he's above learning from his elders, Tre Jones among them.
"Tre has taught me a lot, how to get into my offensive player, how to read my opponent, know what he likes to do and force him to do things I want him to do."
One thing Jones hasn't had to teach Moore is the value of communication on the defensive end of the court.
"Any time I step on the court, I can't stop talking," Moore says. "I feel like I'm making my teammates better. I'm calm off the court but once the whistle goes off it's like I'm two different people."
Jones certainly likes what he sees.
"He has a good mindset to be a defender. He wants to be really good, he moves well on the defensive end, he's strong and quick. He came in talking right away. He wasn't one we needed to get on."
"I can do it all on the floor," Moore sums up, "defending, scoring, getting my teammates the ball."
Old school. Always a good thing to have around.
#GoDuke
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Wendell Moore isn't the highest-ranked of Duke's four recruited freshmen. He isn't as big as Vernon Carey, doesn't shoot as well at Matthew Hurt, doesn't dunk like Cassius Stanley.
But he might be the best important player of that quartet.
Moore has been called an "old-school player," the kind of tough, versatile, mid-sized player who has keyed some of Duke's best seasons.
Think David Henderson. Or Chris Carrawell. Or Justise Winslow.
Moore certainly doesn't object to the idea.
"I think it's a compliment," he says. "It means someone who keeps it fundamental but gets the job done. I kind of slow it down for myself and play the pace I like to play."
Moore is 6-foot-6, about 215 pounds, with the wingspan of a bigger man. He's fast, strong, skilled and ultra-competitive.
Those attributes helped make him one of North Carolina's best-ever prep players. He led Cox Mill High School in Concord — that's one county east of Charlotte — to a pair of 3-A state titles and helped the United States to gold in the 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Moore also gained national recognition playing for Chris Paul's CP3 AAU team.
Moore's all-around game was on display last April at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Ore.
This isn't one of those defense-optional showcases like the McDonald's All American game, but rather a contest between a United States team and an international squad that the players take so seriously that they defend, run plays, pass to the open man and compete for 40 minutes — the kind of game that rewards players like Moore.
Moore stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, hitting 5-of-9 from the field and 3-of-3 from the line.
Most of all, he made several big plays down the stretch, as the USA won 93-87.
You may have noticed that Moore's teams tend to win. Teammates describe him as the most competitive player on the team.
"He hates to lose," Duke basketball director of operations Nolan Smith says. "That's one thing all of his teammates have noticed since the first day he arrived at school. If you're on his team, he will be pushing you to win."
Moore owns it.
"I hate losing. Everything I do, I have to win. My mom is the same way. I think I got it from her."
Moore has long wanted to help Duke win. The other Big Four schools recruited him but Moore has been a Duke fan, imagining himself as a Blue Devil.
"I've been a Duke fan since a young age," he explains. "I've watched all the guys come through, like Jayson Tatum, even guys like Grant Hill, knowing what Coach did with those guys and hoping I can play a similar role."
He's been at Duke since June. With international and top-tier AAU experience, Moore says he's not nervous at the attention.
"This college experience I've been waiting for. Playing, practicing, lifting, it's what I expected it to be. Everybody is athletic. The speed of the game is different. There's a shorter window to get things done."
Moore is an improving shooter and a good enough ball-handler that Duke is practicing him some at point guard.
"My shooting has really improved since I got here. The coaches have been working with me on it. Offensively I feel like I can do everything really well. Coaches are emphasizing being aggressive."
"He has a tough, competitive edge," Smith notes. "He does so many things well on the court. He's so versatile. He's a winner. He brings that every single day in practice, whether it's at the point, shooting guard, small forward. He's a physically-gifted young man. He's only going to get better with time and we're just excited to see how he's going to get better and develop."
But defense is where his bread is buttered.
"I'm really excited about Wendell," Mike Krzyzewski says. "He can guard four positions. He's a winner. He can play everywhere on the court."
Smith agrees.
"We're very excited about our defense this year. We know that Tre (Jones) is one of the best defenders in the country. But add Wendell on the wing — his length, his strength — he can guard anybody and he takes pride in that."
"It's all about being aggressive," Moore says. "Defense is something I can always do. It doesn't take a lot of skill, just effort, and effort is something you can always give."
That doesn't mean he's above learning from his elders, Tre Jones among them.
"Tre has taught me a lot, how to get into my offensive player, how to read my opponent, know what he likes to do and force him to do things I want him to do."
One thing Jones hasn't had to teach Moore is the value of communication on the defensive end of the court.
"Any time I step on the court, I can't stop talking," Moore says. "I feel like I'm making my teammates better. I'm calm off the court but once the whistle goes off it's like I'm two different people."
Jones certainly likes what he sees.
"He has a good mindset to be a defender. He wants to be really good, he moves well on the defensive end, he's strong and quick. He came in talking right away. He wasn't one we needed to get on."
"I can do it all on the floor," Moore sums up, "defending, scoring, getting my teammates the ball."
Old school. Always a good thing to have around.
#GoDuke
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