2022 NBA Draft scouting report: Wendell Moore Jr.

Our 2022 NBA Draft scouting report series kicks off with a look at wing Wendell Moore Jr. out of Duke. The series will take a deep dive on several prospects with an eye on how they may fit with the Atlanta Hawks.

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Three-and-D wings are always coveted in the NBA. No matter how many a team has, they’re likely still scouring the market for another one. Wendell Moore Jr. out of Duke put himself on the NBA 3-and-D map when he increased his three-point shooting percentage from 30.1 to 41.3 between his sophomore and junior seasons with the Blue Devils.

The 6’5 wing shot 50% from the floor and 80% from the free throw line as well in his junior season, scoring 13.4 points per game in his final season at Duke. ESPN has Moore listed as their No. 32 ranked player on their best available. The junior improved in nearly every area of his game, including points per game, assists per game, rebounds per game, three-point percentage, field goal percentage and steals per game. He played nearly 34 minutes per game, which was also a career-high by a substantial margin.

At the NBA combine, Moore measured a touch below 6’5 without shoes, but recorded a wingspan beyond 7’. That length combined with Moore’s periodic shooting improvements make him a very interesting prospect that should be able to fit with any team.

The Duke wing has one of the largest gaps between height and wingspan in the 2022 class. His length should allow him to guard at least three positions at the next level.

Moore also jumped 38.5 inches on his max vertical jump at the combine. This type of athletic ability combined with the improved shooting and playmaking of Moore (4.4 assists per game in his junior season) should have the full attention of NBA scouts. If Moore was on the fringe of the top-30 heading into the scouting combine, his explosive testing numbers may be enough to see him selected in the first round. ESPN’s Mike Schmitz wrote this about Moore back in March ahead of Duke’s run to the Final Four:

“Scouts will be closely analyzing whether or not Moore takes a back seat in important moments or takes ownership as one of the lone upperclassmen during a Blue Devils NCAA tournament run. How scouts feel about his confidence and aggression will go a long way in determining whether NBA teams view him as the next productive college upperclassmen turned draft-day steal a la Herb Jones and Ayo Dosunmu.”

During the postseason of his junior season (ACC Tournament + NCAA Tournament), Moore averaged 14.8 points per game across over 35 minutes per, shooting 49% from the floor and 42% from deep. As mostly an off-ball/secondary option, the wing provided an important scoring punch behind teammates and projected first-round picks Paolo Banchero and Mark Williams. Moore really came into his own in his third season at Duke, and could be an underrated talent heading into the draft.

Fit with Hawks

Moore is likely not going to be in play for the Hawks at No. 16, but if he were to slip into the middle of the second round he would be worth grabbing. The length, athletic ability and size are something that would be welcome in the backcourt for Atlanta, even if Moore would likely just be a depth option at most in his rookie season. The idea of stashing potential 3-and-D options is never a bad idea, especially if one as physically gifted as Moore is sitting around in the second round.