Getting to Know New Orleans Pelican, E’Twaun Moore
Moore the Boilermaker
After committing to stay in his home state with Indiana University’s Head Coach Mike Davis, Davis was forced to resign and Moore looked for opportunity elsewhere.
That new place became Purdue University, under Head Coach Matt Painter.
He and teammates Robbie Hummel, Scott Martin and JaJuan Johnson were termed “The Baby Boilermakers,” and formed the fifth best recruiting class in 2007, according to Scout.com.
After leading the Boilermakers in scoring his first two seasons, he and teammate Robbie Hummel were preseason favorites for the John R. Wooden Award and were predicted to go deep into the tournament.
But it wasn’t meant to be. After tearing a vertebrae and valiantly playing through back spasms to end his sophomore season, Hummel suffered torn ACLs in back to back seasons in 2010 and 2011.
Moore did what he could with teammate JaJuan Johnson, leading the Boilers to their first Big 10 title in fourteen years in 2010. That team went to the sweet sixteen, where they were thwarted by the Duke Blue Devils.
After committing to the draft with Johnson, the two had second thoughts and sought to accomplish more in their senior season.
But with Hummel’s second knee surgery, the best they could accomplish was a second place finish in the Big 10.
What If….?
After leading his team in scoring in four consecutive seasons, becoming the Boilers third overall leading scorer ever, back to back 25 win seasons and a senior line of 18 points, five rebounds and three assists per game, Moore still can’t help but wonder, what if?
“It’s just something you have to live with,” says Moore. “I definitely think we’re a better team, but the results may say otherwise.”
But even as the third Big 10 player to ever score 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists, Moore still could not get the respect he desired from NBA scouts.
“I think I am being overlooked, but I couldn’t really say why.”
“I think I am being overlooked, but I couldn’t really say why,” says Moore. “Maybe people didn’t see a lot of me during the regular season, or they just haven’t seen a lot of what I can do well. I’m more athletic than what people think, that’s something I think I’ll show in workouts.”
Moore learned hard work and leadership both on and off the court at Purdue. He majored in organizational leadership and supervision and never let circumstances get the better of him. His dogged defense came from an underdog status he continues fighting. Speaking of…
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