#1 Moses Moody – Guard – Arkansas
A lot of the talk about this year’s NBA Draft is about how talented the top players in this draft class are, but there are a ton of other names that are classified as first-round picks that have a ton of potential to become a key talent in the league. One of these first-round talents with a lot of potential is Moses Moody out of Arkansas.
The 6’6” guard helped lead Arkansas to the Elite-8 for the first time since 1995 and he was among the nation’s best shooters all season long in college. For the Razorbacks, Moody averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and shot 35.8% from three-point range, which does not seem high, but he took over 5 three-point attempts per game.
Not only does he have the size to be a perfect match for the “modern day” shooting guard in the NBA, but Moses Moody uses his size and strength to score over smaller defenders either from the perimeter or on the drive. At the next level, Moody will definitely need to get strong in order to get the shots that he wants, especially on the drive, but this can be said about many prospects coming out of college and is not a major concern.
He is an elite level perimeter player and his game will easily translate to the next level as a result. Overall, Moses Moody is the ideal “catch-and-shoot” shooting guard in today’s NBA and whether it is running to a spot in transition or stepping out on the perimeter in a half-court set, the young guard always seems to find an open spot on the court and his high release makes it hard for opponents to contest his shot.
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The Hornets drafted LaMelo Ball 3rd overall in 2020 and they have a ton of young, athletic players, which is why drafting Moses Moody would be a smart move and good fit for the Hornets. The Hornets were a decent shooting team from the perimeter this past season, but with Malik Monk being a free agent, they may have a hole to fill on the perimeter.
This is where drafting Moses Moody could come in handy. He is definitely a much better offensive threat than Malik Monk and possesses that same level of threat from the perimeter, which is why Charlotte could show interest in him.
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The Charlotte Hornets are expected to be big contenders this offseason in terms of adding a high-level center in free agency and they could even look to bring in other high-level talents to their roster via trades, which is why they need to continue adding young players to their roster that can make a difference offensively.
Moses Moody is not the best ball handler or facilitator, but being a catch-and-shoot threat on the perimeter is where he thrives. With a guy like LaMelo Ball finding him for open three-point attempts, Moody could really thrive in Charlotte’s system.
