Moore NBDL's Top Defender
March 20, 2003 - NBA G League (G League) News Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. (March 20, 2003) â Roanoke Dazzle forward Mikki Moore has been selected as the National Basketball Development League Defensive Player of the Year for the 2002-03 season. Moore was selected by a vote of the league's eight head coaches.
The first overall selection in the 2002 NBDL Draft by the Dazzle, Moore has more than lived up to any preseason hype. He currently leads the NBDL in defensive rebounds with 6.7 per game and is second in the league in both blocked shots (65 total, 1.6 pg) and total rebounds (8.5 pg). As proof that he is more than a one-dimensional player, Moore is also sixth in the league in scoring at 16.0 points per game.
"Mikki is very active defensively and has great timing that allows him to get up and block a lot of shots," Roanoke head coach Kent Davison said. "His ability to go and help out on defense, and still be able to recover and get back to his man, is incredible."
Sandwiched around a 10-day callup to the Boston Celtics in January, Moore has played in 40 games (39 starts) for Roanoke this season. He is second in the NBDL in double-doubles (17), minutes played (33.4 pg) and field goals made per game (6.1).
"Mikki's game is very good on both ends of the floor, but he has been a solid, athletic force defensively in our league this season," NBDL executive director Karl Hicks said. "Even though our coaches voted him the defensive player of the year, and rightfully so, Mikki has proven that he can play well on both ends."
A 7-footer from the University of Nebraska, Moore is in the top 15 in the league in assists with 2.4 per game and is 10th in the league in field goal percentage at .531 (242-456) and free throws made per game at 3.7.
In his 10-day stint with the Celtics this season Moore played in three games (no starts). He has played in 142 NBA games over four seasons, all with the Detroit Pistons, averaging 4.7 points and 3.4 rebounds.
Moore finished his collegiate career at Nebraska as the school's all-time leading shot-blocker with 236. He also owns the school single-game blocked shots record with nine and led the Cornhuskers in blocked shots in each of his last three seasons.
• Discuss this story on the NBA G League message board...
NBA G League Stories from March 20, 2003
- Flight Completes Regular Season This Weekend With Playoff Hopes Still Alive - Huntsville Flight
- Moore NBDL's Top Defender - G League
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
