Moses Moody is a perfect fit for the Wizards originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Washington Wizards are picking in the middle of the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. Whether they trade up, down or stay firm at No. 15, here is the latest in our series on draft prospects whom the Wizards could consider selecting.
2021 NBA Draft Prospect Preview: Moses Moody
School/team: Arkansas
Position: SF
Age: 19
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Height: 6-6
Weight: 210
Wingspan: 7-0
2020/21 stats: 32 G, 16.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.7 bpg, 42.7 FG% (5.2/12.1), 35.8 3PT% (1.8/5.1), 81.2 FT%
Player comparison: Mikal Bridges
Projections: NBC Sports Washington 11th, Ringer 15th, NBADraft.net 8th, Bleacher Report 11th
5 things to know:
- A lot of the top wing prospects have questions regarding their jump shot, but that's not the case with Moody. He can really shoot it, as evidenced by his 35.8% mark from three on considerable volume and a solid 81.2% success rate at the free-throw line. Moody should be an effective spot-up shooter from Day 1 in the NBA, which is incredibly valuable for a player his size.
- Moody is a good, versatile defender already as well. He has the foot speed to handle guards and wings on the perimeter and the length to hold his own against bigger forwards. Moody already weighs 210 pounds but could afford to add a bit more muscle to unlock his defensive versatility.
- When it comes to hitting shots off the dribble, Moody is limited. He has a one or two-dribble pull-up he likes to use when defenders run him off the 3-point line, but outside of that, there isn't much scoring juice. If you're a team that needs a big wing who projects as a one-on-one scorer, Moody isn't your guy. He's much more of a 3-and-D type of prospect, which is the kind of thing every team is constantly searching for.
- Moody doesn't give you much scoring at the rim either. He has the ability to get into the paint but the finishing just isn't there yet. At this point, you're banking on Moody's ability to hit spot-up threes. If he can't, then it's going to be tough for him to find minutes in the NBA, but all signs indicate he'll be a knockdown shooter at the next level.
- As the NBA trends more toward small-ball, it's become more important for wings to hit the glass and rebound. Moody is a solid rebounder for a wing and should be able to contribute on the boards right away. If he can develop as a ball-handler and playmaker in transition, that could raise his ceiling significantly.
Fit with Wizards:
The Wizards are in dire need of players who can defend multiple positions and space the floor for Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook. If they're fortunate enough to draft Moody, he'll be able to be that exact player from Day 1.
There are definite concerns about the rest of Moody's game, especially if he'll be able to contribute anything as a scorer or creator off the dribble, but the things he does at a high level are by far the most important skills in the game today for a role player.
Moody's stock is all over the place, with some experts placing him in the top 10 of the draft while others could see him falling to the Wizards at No. 15. If it looks like Moody won't fall to 15, he'd be a prime target for a trade up as Tommy Sheppard looks to build a contender around Washington's All-Star backcourt.
