Razorbacks taking a chance on McEachern鈥檚 Moore
POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. (BVM) — Most people on the prep basketball scene know who Chance Moore is. The 6-foot-5 Arkansas Razorback basketball commit from McEachern High School. The guy ranked No. 73 on ESPN鈥檚 Top 100 list for the class of 2021. The one who boasted offers from Auburn, Clemson and LSU, amongst others.
But not everybody knows his story and how he burst into the picture. Or that he actually plummeted down ESPN鈥檚 rankings because of an injury, but is back better than ever. Now underway in his senior season of high school basketball, his time in Fayetteville is not far off.
Growing up with a dad who is a former Division I athlete and former member of the Air Force Academy football team, sports have been a part of Moore鈥檚 life from the start. Football was actually once his preferred sport. It wasn鈥檛 until seventh grade that the now-highly-coveted hooper began to take his basketball game to the next level.聽
He got some personal trainers and started working out every day before school, but it wouldn鈥檛 be until nearly four years later that he would have his true coming out party. In his sophomore season, the Indians competed in a big tournament called Hoopsgiving where Moore went wild. From there, he never looked back.
Moore climbed rankings and bolstered an always improving resume, becoming a sure thing for high-level Division I basketball. And then he got hurt. A torn meniscus and an OCD lesion on his left knee. Injuries that, for basketball players always absorbing impact with their knees, can be hard to overcome.聽聽
鈥�It wasn鈥檛 my first injury so I knew what to do,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淪tay locked in, do my therapy, stay consistent and motivated to get back on the court.鈥�
Which clearly paid off, as Moore is now back in action, having led the Indians to a 15-3 start to the season. Colleges weren鈥檛 put off by his injury either, as his offers remained. Then in August of 2020, the relentless rim-attacker made it official by committing to the Razorbacks. His persistency to developing a name for himself and regaining his health was realized.
肠辞尘尘颈迟迟别诲鉂わ笍馃悧馃
— Chance Moore (@Chance3303)
Now he鈥檒l have the chance to be under the tutelage of former NBA head coach Eric Musselman, and potentially play alongside current Razorback and NBA hopeful Moses Moody, assuming he comes back to Fayetteville for his sophomore year.
鈥淚 feel like he (Coach Musselman) will grow my game, help me with my weaknesses, and really help me reach my main goal which is the NBA because he鈥檚 had a lot of NBA experience,鈥� Moore said.聽
In terms of playing alongside Moody, Moore called it as he sees it.
鈥淚 feel like both of us on the wing would be lethal,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淲e could do some damage in the SEC and really make some noise in the tournament.鈥�
In order to continue growing as a program in the years to come, though, Moore understands that their success will be vital to the operation. To attract more recruits, the Razorbacks will have to keep on winning. Over the past few years, their basketball culture has been ascending and they want to keep it that way.聽
For Musselman, Moore is the fifth straight ESPN Top 100 recruit to put pen to paper, putting Arkansas basketball on the map. Now with his looming move to the college ranks, Moore wants to help Coach Musselman advance their outreach even further. He鈥檚 a student of the game.聽
鈥淢y favorite player is James Harden. I love his offensive skill set, but a couple other players I like to look at are Paul George, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淭hose are just a few I like to steal pieces from and add to my game.鈥�
Arriving on a college campus for a freshman can be daunting, but Moore knows exactly what he wants to achieve during this experience, and he knows exactly what it鈥檚 going to take. He wanted Razorback fans to know what they can expect from him from the moment he steps foot in Arkansas.聽
鈥淎 nice guy, real friendly, hard worker, good teammate,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淛ust someone who wants to buy in.鈥�
