Moore impressed by Tigers’ Hardaway
NORTH AUGUSTA, South Carolina — In a lot of ways, every coach recruiting Chris Moore has the same vision for the West Memphis standout.
“Every coach pretty much sees me as a key component to winning a national championship,” the 6foot-7 forward said after his 14point, six-rebound performance for Woodz Elite at Peach Jam, the annual high school basketball showcase.
But there’s just something about Memphis, Moore said, that’s been a little different. The Tigers’ pursuit of the four-star prospect – who boasts offers from Arkansas, Ole Miss, Iowa State, Auburn and Oklahoma State among others – began when former coach Tubby Smith extended a scholarship offer and hasn’t slowed since Penny Hardaway took over.
And it’s Hardaway who has Moore feeling especially good about Memphis, so much so that he said Wednesday he already has scheduled an official visit for Aug. 31, which also happens to be the football team’s season opener against Ole Miss at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. He made an unofficial visit in late June.
“I’m looking forward to get more in tune with the campus,” he said Wednesday. “The campus is beautiful. My first time seeing it, it was amazing and just getting the atmosphere that they’re going to have that weekend. Just feeling the love, actually feeling like I’m going to be a Tiger.”
So will Moore be the first 2020 recruit to commit to Hardaway?
If the feedback from several of Memphis’ other top targets is any indication, there’s a good chance. Top-10 prospects Jalen Green and Greg Brown both said Wednesday they are in no hurry to make a decision, adding their announcements probably are more than six months away.
Moore, on the other hand, might not wait that long. In fact, he said
Thursday he plans to commit at least by November and noted he does not have any other visits scheduled.
It’s Hardaway’s pitch that is weighing heavy on his mind.
“Some coaches, they’ll tell you things you want to hear. Penny is one of the few coaches who recruited me and kept it real with me,” Moore said. “He told me I’m going to be held accountable. I’m going to be grown, but I’m also going to be one of his sons. I kind of felt that.
“Apparently, he sees something in me that most coaches don’t see. He also sees me as the heart and soul of a team. He sees me fitting in with everybody, being a leader, doing some things that most players aren’t supposed to be doing.”
That isn’t to say Moore’s recruitment is a one-horse race. After all, despite West Memphis’ proximity to the Bluff City, it remains a Razorbacks stronghold in his view.
“It’s crazy because they argue all the time, the fans arguing,” he said. “‘We want Chris Moore because we’re going to use him better.’ It’s fun.”
But since Memphis started recruiting him, he has heard (and continues to hear) from a very vocal Tigers fanbase.
“Everybody texting me. Everybody wants me in a Tiger uniform playing under the wing of Coach Penny,” Moore said.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.