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Ailene Voisin: Journeyman begins planting roots
Moore settles with Kings, his 8th NBA team
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Columnist
Last Updated 2:13 am PDT Sunday, July 22, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
Mikki Moore has played 382 games for seven NBA teams. He endured bumpy bus rides in the minor leagues, was victimized by the bounced check syndrome in Greece, endured more bumpy bus rides during a return to the minors, and was waived and signed so many more times that MapQuest became his favorite Web site. Once, he even radically altered his appearance -- cutting off his shoulder-length braids -- only later deciding that, if he was going to be a nomad, he wanted something familiar to hang onto.
"My mom said it was the Allen Iverson image, and she didn't like that," said Moore, with a grin. "But this is me."
At 7 feet and 225 pounds, Moore is one of those rare players who become more productive later in their careers. He is 31 years old and coming off his best season, his numbers with the New Jersey Nets (9.8 points, 5.1 rebounds) not exactly overwhelming, but certainly respectable. And as a 7-footer in a weak free-agent market, he was one of the coveted frontcourt prospects. Moore met with officials from Memphis, Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans and the Nets before signing a three-year, $18 million contract with the Kings.
So why the Kings?
Time, place, opportunity, perspective.
The mess at power forward.
Moore's scouting report could have been swiped right off Geoff Petrie's desk. While Mike Bibby and Ron Artest command most of the attention because of their lack of cohesiveness on the court, Bibby's bloated salary, Artest's off-court issues and Petrie's ongoing attempts to trade at least one of them -- think Bibby foremost -- the team's greatest weakness remains at power forward, the position in tatters since Chris Webber shredded his knee in Dallas.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim, his foot speed and mobility diminishing at an alarming rate, is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. The undersized Kenny Thomas is chronically miserable and only satisfied with occasional appearances. Justin Williams is an intriguing young prospect because of his raw athleticism, but he's far from a finished product. Coupled with the presence and particular abilities of centers Brad Miller and Spencer Hawes, the former a plodder, the latter's game as yet ill-defined, the Kings struck Moore as the team offering the best opportunity. The team that needed him most.
"He's a very nice piece to the puzzle," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "He likes to play above the rim, and he's got a presence about him.
"I don't have any preconceived notions (about starting jobs). I'm coming in here without any allegiance to anybody, and I'm going to play the guys who earn the minutes. One of the things I want to do is change the culture. I want to see an attitude adjustment. If I'm going to have a team of young guys, and some guys backing them up, then energy is going to be a big part of that, and everybody is going to make sacrifices."
Moore has made a career out of sacrifices. Undrafted after college (Nebraska), his professional journey began with a brief tryout with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the organization that waived him, explaining that his skills were raw and unpolished, initiating a pattern that persisted for almost a decade.
A South Carolina native, Moore moved from place to place, from league to league, becoming known more for his terrific wit and engaging personality than his performance. Minneapolis. Roanoke, Va. Fort Wayne, Ind. Athens, Greece. Detroit. Boston. Atlanta. Salt Lake City. Los Angeles. Seattle. New Jersey.
Moore's fondest memories include the time spent with Utah coach Jerry Sloan, "because he didn't care who you were, how big your contract was or anything like that. If you gave the effort, he gave you the opportunity."
His worst was probably the day he attempted to leave Athens, only to be delayed en route to the airport because of severe flooding. "And I can't swim," he cracked.
But Moore learned to survive and, more important, acquired the skills to contribute more consistently. He developed a decent midrange turnaround jumper, committed to running the floor and finishing on the fast break, and, most appealing to the Kings, began utilizing his length and quickness around the basket to disrupt opposing scorers.
"I was always the fat kid who only got picked to play because I brought the basket," said Moore, puffing his cheeks and pulling his arms wide. "My birth name is Clinton. I got my nickname when I was 2, after the kid Mikey on the cereal ad. I would eat my food, then devour everything on my sister's plate. I grew seven inches between my freshman and sophomore year of high school. That changed everything. Now I can't gain a pound."
Laughing at the serendipity of life, he mentioned that he planned to go house hunting later in the day. He has been all over the Internet surfing for homes, that three-year deal representing the equivalent of a lifetime commitment.
"Some people think last year was a fluke," he added, "but it wasn't. I just needed the opportunity."
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@sacbee.com.
Ailene Voisin: Journeyman begins planting roots
Moore settles with Kings, his 8th NBA team
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Columnist
Last Updated 2:13 am PDT Sunday, July 22, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
Mikki Moore has played 382 games for seven NBA teams. He endured bumpy bus rides in the minor leagues, was victimized by the bounced check syndrome in Greece, endured more bumpy bus rides during a return to the minors, and was waived and signed so many more times that MapQuest became his favorite Web site. Once, he even radically altered his appearance -- cutting off his shoulder-length braids -- only later deciding that, if he was going to be a nomad, he wanted something familiar to hang onto.
"My mom said it was the Allen Iverson image, and she didn't like that," said Moore, with a grin. "But this is me."
At 7 feet and 225 pounds, Moore is one of those rare players who become more productive later in their careers. He is 31 years old and coming off his best season, his numbers with the New Jersey Nets (9.8 points, 5.1 rebounds) not exactly overwhelming, but certainly respectable. And as a 7-footer in a weak free-agent market, he was one of the coveted frontcourt prospects. Moore met with officials from Memphis, Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans and the Nets before signing a three-year, $18 million contract with the Kings.
So why the Kings?
Time, place, opportunity, perspective.
The mess at power forward.
Moore's scouting report could have been swiped right off Geoff Petrie's desk. While Mike Bibby and Ron Artest command most of the attention because of their lack of cohesiveness on the court, Bibby's bloated salary, Artest's off-court issues and Petrie's ongoing attempts to trade at least one of them -- think Bibby foremost -- the team's greatest weakness remains at power forward, the position in tatters since Chris Webber shredded his knee in Dallas.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim, his foot speed and mobility diminishing at an alarming rate, is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. The undersized Kenny Thomas is chronically miserable and only satisfied with occasional appearances. Justin Williams is an intriguing young prospect because of his raw athleticism, but he's far from a finished product. Coupled with the presence and particular abilities of centers Brad Miller and Spencer Hawes, the former a plodder, the latter's game as yet ill-defined, the Kings struck Moore as the team offering the best opportunity. The team that needed him most.
"He's a very nice piece to the puzzle," Kings coach Reggie Theus said. "He likes to play above the rim, and he's got a presence about him.
"I don't have any preconceived notions (about starting jobs). I'm coming in here without any allegiance to anybody, and I'm going to play the guys who earn the minutes. One of the things I want to do is change the culture. I want to see an attitude adjustment. If I'm going to have a team of young guys, and some guys backing them up, then energy is going to be a big part of that, and everybody is going to make sacrifices."
Moore has made a career out of sacrifices. Undrafted after college (Nebraska), his professional journey began with a brief tryout with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the organization that waived him, explaining that his skills were raw and unpolished, initiating a pattern that persisted for almost a decade.
A South Carolina native, Moore moved from place to place, from league to league, becoming known more for his terrific wit and engaging personality than his performance. Minneapolis. Roanoke, Va. Fort Wayne, Ind. Athens, Greece. Detroit. Boston. Atlanta. Salt Lake City. Los Angeles. Seattle. New Jersey.
Moore's fondest memories include the time spent with Utah coach Jerry Sloan, "because he didn't care who you were, how big your contract was or anything like that. If you gave the effort, he gave you the opportunity."
His worst was probably the day he attempted to leave Athens, only to be delayed en route to the airport because of severe flooding. "And I can't swim," he cracked.
But Moore learned to survive and, more important, acquired the skills to contribute more consistently. He developed a decent midrange turnaround jumper, committed to running the floor and finishing on the fast break, and, most appealing to the Kings, began utilizing his length and quickness around the basket to disrupt opposing scorers.
"I was always the fat kid who only got picked to play because I brought the basket," said Moore, puffing his cheeks and pulling his arms wide. "My birth name is Clinton. I got my nickname when I was 2, after the kid Mikey on the cereal ad. I would eat my food, then devour everything on my sister's plate. I grew seven inches between my freshman and sophomore year of high school. That changed everything. Now I can't gain a pound."
Laughing at the serendipity of life, he mentioned that he planned to go house hunting later in the day. He has been all over the Internet surfing for homes, that three-year deal representing the equivalent of a lifetime commitment.
"Some people think last year was a fluke," he added, "but it wasn't. I just needed the opportunity."
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@sacbee.com.
) about the coming season. Not because we're gonna win a ton of games and surprise the league, but because it's gonna be FUN to watch the 2007/2008 Sacramento Kings. And, at this stage in the game, that's certainly a step in the right direction!!
