Moore a true giant of Australian sport
Andre Moore has a draw full of medals, a cabinet full of trophies and a career that spans more than three decades across many different countries.
The proud father of eight has now settled in Brisbane and says basketball has been his passport to the world.
“Everything that has happened to me has been related to the game indirectly,” Moore said.
“I’ve got to see a lot of the world and a lot of this country.
“My beautiful eight children were all born in Australia - that would not have been possible if it weren’t for basketball.”
Moore grew up playing basketball in Chicago before being drafted to the Denver Nuggets in 1987.
“I didn’t last as long as I wanted to in the American National League,” he said.
“The stars were aligned for me to go overseas.”
Moore played professionally in six countries and eventually ended up in Australia.
He was recruited by the Brisbane Bullets in 1990 where he believed he played some of his best games.
In 1997 he played for the Toowoomba Mountaineers in the Queensland Basketball League before
Everything that has happened to me has been related to the game. — Andre Moore
heading to Cairns to play for the Taipans in their inaugural season in 1999.
“I scored the first basket for them against Melbourne Tigers,” Moore said.
Moore retired from professional basketball in 2001 but is still active on the court.
The 53-year-old said he had won more medals playing in the World Masters and Pan Pacific Games since retiring.
“I’m very fortunate to still be able to have the energy and to be physically fit enough to play in my twilight years,” he said.
His journey has led him back to the Garden City this year when former Mountaineers teammate Pop Dickerson asked him to play in the Big Q League.
“Toowoomba is a really beautiful place,” he said.