2020 in-state target spotlight: Chris Moore
The in-state crop of basketball players in the Class of 2020 is one of the best in a while and is probably the deepest it has been since 2016. HawgBeat is going to take a look at each prospect and talk to their high school coaches for a series beginning today with Chris Moore…
Chris Moore
Position: Power forward
Size: 6-6 | 200
High school: West Memphis
EYBL: Woodz Elite 16u
Offers: Arkansas, Oklahoma State, TCU, Abilene Christian, Arkansas State, Memphis, Murray State, SMU, Southern Miss
It didn’t take West Memphis head coach Marcus Brown long to realize he had a special player in Chris Moore.
Ever since working with him between his sixth- and seventh-grade seasons, Brown knew Moore had the potential to play at the next level, so he has tried to be flexible with how he uses the 6-foot-6 power forward.
“The thing about Chris is he’s always kind of been the biggest kid and the stigma on that is to stick him on the post,” Brown said. “We’ve been trying to allow him to just be a basketball player and not essentially get stuck in a box.”
As a sophomore for the Blue Devils, Moore scored 16 points and had 8 rebounds per game while shooting about 61 percent from the floor. Through 17 games in EYBL play with Woodz Elite, he is averaging 14 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Those are solid numbers and a reason why nine Division I programs have already offered him a scholarship. Arkansas jumped on board last week, when it offered Moore and two other in-state prospects – Jacksonville’s Gerald Doakes and Davonte Davis – on the same day.
However, Brown acknowledged there are still areas of his game that need improvement, such as his mechanics. He is also still working on his game away from the basket, with short and long jumpers and his footwork.
“He displayed some of that this year,” Brown said. “His ceiling is really high and the great thing about Chris is he really, really doesn’t know how good he can be.
“He’s a great teammate, a humble kid, a great student, so the ceiling is really high for him. We just want to allow him just to progress in a real good manner and not be overbearing on, ‘You have to do this or you have to do that.’ Just allow him to be a basketball player.”
As a former college and professional player, Brown understands the pressure Moore is under and is trying to alleviate some of that. He starred at Murray State and played a couple years in the NBA before having a very successful career in Europe.
“I’ve experienced some of the same success, so the biggest thing is just allowing him to be a kid,” Brown said. “Allow him to be a 15-, 16-year-old kid and enjoy being in high school, enjoy being around his peers and going to the movies and eating ice cream.
“There’s a level of consumption in sports, being in the gym and working on your game, because you’re in rare air. He is special, but at the same time, you still want to give him a chance to enjoy the process.”
With only one loss so far, Moore and his Woodz Elite team have a two-game lead in the 16u division of the EYBL, which features 51 teams. Next up on their schedule is the Great American Shootout in Dallas.
As more and more college coaches watch him play, offers will likely continue to roll in.
“(College coaches) love his energy and they love his development right now, his body development,” Brown said. “He’s ready to play Division I right now, strength wise. He’s committed to getting better and that’s what you want form a kid of his stature.”
Brown’s favorite attribute of Moore is his ability to play on both ends of the court. He is just as likely to block a shot and start a fast break as he is to finish one on the offensive end.
With two years of high school remaining, Moore will continue to develop up to and through when he signs with the school of his choice, Brown said. That will even continue at the college level.
“He can’t get caught up in what other people say,” Brown said. “Chris just has to play his game. He’s at a really good point from my perspective. His progression is at a really good point right now.”