Getty Moses Moody goes up for a layup attempt against the Detroit Pistons.
Moses Moody has put in a lot of work — and plenty of travel — to earn his big chance with the Golden State Warriors.
When the rookie finally got that chance and seized it, his reaction may come as a surprise to some.
Moody has split time between Golden State and the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz through most of his first season in the league, once even playing for both teams in the same day. A spate of injuries this week created an opening on Golden State’s roster and gave Moody the chance to snag some significant minutes this week, leading to a breakout game and a chance to slide into the regular rotation. For Moody, it’s still not enough.
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Moody’s Big Game
After scraping for a few minutes here and there at the end of blowouts and when teammates are in foul trouble, Moody got the chance to play a major role over the last two games for the Warriors. He delivered on the opportunity, scoring 11 points in 25 minutes in a January 31 win over the Houston Rockets before notching a career-high 20 points in 37 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs on February 1. In that game, Moody connected on six of his 10 three-point attempts, adding seven rebounds.
.@mosesmoody knocked down six threes last night.
The last Dubs’ rookie to have 6+ treys in a game? Stephen Curry on February 10, 2010 ☔️
After his breakout performance, Moody said he’s still not satisfied with his place in the NBA.
“When I am down in the G League, it does make me a lot more appreciative of what I’ve been blessed with,” Moody said, via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Connor Letourneau. “Having an NBA contract. Being more secure.
“Of course, we all take our own journeys. And even though I’m content right now, I’m never satisfied.”
Looking Forward
Moody stressed that while he’s unsatisfied, he’s not despondent. The 19-year-old acknowledged that he’s done a lot of growing and has more to do, but can see how the progress is coming together.
“It has been an up-and-down path so far,” Moody said. “But right now, it feels like the work is paying off. I feel good. I’m doing all this stuff for a reason.”
Moody has put in a lot of work on his journey. As Letourneau noted, Moody has become so accustomed to jettisoning between Santa Cruz and San Francisco that he always keeps a suitcase packed with the essentials. The rookie could have more chances with the Warriors in the immediate future as well. Warriors big man Draymond Green remains indefinitely sidelined with a back ailment, and Gary Payton II suffered an injury against the Spurs that could keep him out of Thursday’s game against the Sacramento Kings.
Draymond Green, who has been sidelined for the last 12 games due to a lower back/disc injury, was recently re-examined. This indicated that Green is making steps in a positive direction and the injury is improving. He will be re-evaluated again prior to the All-Star break.
Head coach Steve Kerr said the team could rely more on its young players, who so far have excelled in playing alongside the veteran core of Green, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson.
“The great part of having depth and having young players and having stars like Steph and Klay is that you can mix-and-match and still be able to win and develop guys and look at different combinations and it’s a great position to be in organizationally,” Kerr said during an appearance on 95.7 The Game’s Damon & Ratto.
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