Stefan Moody, Senior, Mississippi, Guard, 5’11, 179
(2014-15, 28.7 mpg) 16.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.7 spg, 2.0 tpg
38.8 FG%, 90.3 FT%, 35.1 3FG%, 55.0 TS%, 47.8 eFG%
29.9 USG%, 18.4 AST%, 11.7 TOV%, 3.5 STL%, 1.2:1 A/TO
DOB: 10/6/1993 (22) Hometown: Kissimmee, Florida
2015 First Team SEC
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After winning Sun Belt Freshman of the Year at Florida Atlantic, and then a year at junior college, Moody emerged as one of the SEC’s top scorers in his first year at Ole Miss. A small, quick guard, Moody uses a combination of speed and ballhandling to create shots anywhere on the floor. Though his shooting percentages won’t impress much, Moody has the ability to knock down jumpers out to NBA three-point range, though because of his size, he needs to rely on clearing enough space to get his shot off, though when he has time and space, he can be a very good long-range shooter. Moody connected on 78 threes last season, though only shot 35 percent from beyond the arc, due in large part to some spotty shot selection, though Moody was counted on to handle a great scoring load for the Rebels. Moody is a capable shooter off the dribble, both in the mid-range area and behind the arc, and his ability to pull-up and shoot quickly in transition leads to some easy baskets. Moody uses screens well to create space, whether with or off the ball, and his movement leaves him in great position to shoot off the catch, though he does need to be more aware of defenders around him. Moody doesn’t always have the space he thinks he has, and at 5’11, he can have trouble getting his jumper off cleanly, especially in the mid-range area where defenders can help quicker. Moody is an above-average ballhandler, able to uses both hands well and attack the basket in either direction. He uses his speed well to get by his defender, and he has a great first step and knack for getting fouled away from the basket as defenders try to adjust. Moody is generally smart with the ball, keeping his head up, scanning for, and weaving through, defenders. Moody sees the floor well, and has good passing ability, but scoring seems to be his first priority, and when he is heading to basket, he seems more focused on getting there than trying to find an open teammate. He can have some trouble finishing at the basket, and he really doesn’t have the size or strength to finish through contact, but he is a great leaper and shows some creativity to try and score around shot-blockers. Defensively, Moody is an above-average on-ball defender, showing good positioning and the ability to pressure the ball. He has very good foot speed and moves well laterally. Moody also uses his size and speed to slip around screens easily, allowing him to stay with his man. He moves well off the ball, and does a good job playing passing lanes, often trying to sucker opponents into throwing lazy passes by playing off a bit, but jumping the lane quickly. Moody is a good ballhandler in transition, with the ability to keep his defender off-balance if he tries to stop the ball, as well as good finishing ability at the rim, the ability to knock down jumpers off the dribble, as well as strong passing on the move.
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What he needs to show this season: Moody’s first season on the floor for the Rebels went as well as they could have hoped, especially as they were dealing with the loss of Marshall Henderson’s scoring. The hope is that this year is Moody can show more of his point guard abilities, though early on, it still looks like Ole Miss is playing him off the ball often to set him up for scoring chances. With his speed and ability to get into defenses, Moody needs to do a better job finding open teammates, especially going through his reads in high screen situations before just looking to head to the basket. Now, Moody’s aggressiveness does pay off in free throw attempts, where he is among the best in the country, but his lack of size and strength to finish at the rim can lead to some wild shots. He would be better served showing the ability to hit a short jumper or floater consistently in the lane to avoid the rim protectors. Moody still has a tendency to force shots, especially mid-range jumpers with defenders close to him, and this is where instincts to pass the ball will help. Moody is a reliable ballhandler, but he can spend time over-dribbling, hoping to try and set up a scoring chance, where moving the ball can be just as effective. Defensively, Moody is skilled and athletic enough to pressure the ball the well, and while his size can be an advantage at times, it can cause some problems with bigger point guards, though there’s not much he can do about that other than building up some strength to help counter a little.
Where he fits at the next level: Moody is a skilled scorer, and his ability to create his own looks anywhere on the floor is special for the college level, but at 5’11, his hopes for the NBA level rely on his passing ability, and even then, it is tough due to the NBA becoming bigger each year at all positions. Still, Moody is good shooter and defender, and his speed will give him an advantage at the pro level in many other leagues as he continues to develop his point guard skills. It’s too early to count him out yet, but he has a lot of work to do to prove he is a versatile guard who can contribute in all areas.
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