When Kerr first realized Moody was wise beyond his years

When Kerr first realized Moody was wise beyond his years originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors guard Moses Moody is known amongst his teammates for not only his on-court savvy but also his off-the-court wisdom, routinely offering his sage advice in any situation.

His coach, Steve Kerr, recalled on Sunday the first time he realized how mature the No. 14 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft really is, when Moody offered up a proverb during one of their initial conversations.

"[Moody] didn't say anything for the first week of training camp when we had him, not one word," Kerr recalled ahead of the Warriors game against the San Antonio Spurs. "He wasn't going to be in the rotation and I didn't know much about him, and I went and I went to have a talk with him and I ended up doing all the talking, you know. He still didn't say anything, and I didn't know what was on the other end. I was explaining his situation and he just nodded and I said, 'What do you think?'

"And he thought for a second. He said, 'My dad always said a smooth ocean doesn't make a steady sailor.' And I was like, 'Oh my God.' That was like the first thing I ever heard him say. And it's like, what a great piece of wisdom ... That's kind of who Moses is. He's so quiet. He reminds me so much of [Kevon Looney], you know. He's very quiet, but he's just got a lot of wisdom. He understands process. When he doesn't play and he falls out of the rotation, he stays positive, he keeps working. He's a total pro, and it's only Year 3. So it's very impressive."

Moody's sage wisdom has benefitted the Warriors, as his maturity has helped him remain ready for any role Kerr needs him in -- whether that's in the starting lineup or off the bench.

That demeanor has earned Moody praise from countless teammates, from former Warriors player Juan Toscano-Anderson saying he wants his kids to grow up like the young guard to Chris Paul declaring Moody is one of his favorite teammates he has played with in his NBA career.

“Moses is just a pro,” Paul told reporters Friday after the Warriors' 115-97 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. “We have guys that go hoop days in between games, or the morning of a game they might go hoop. Mo … he’ll hoop in the morning thinking that he might not be part of the rotation and then game time will come and coach will be like, ‘You’re starting.’ He just stays ready. You have to appreciate somebody like Mo because a lot of guys would be pouting. ‘Man I ain’t ready, I played this morning.’ ”

Moody's professionalism certainly has made an impression on many, along with his play on the floor. And as Golden State makes its push for the NBA playoffs, the team needs all the wisdom it can get.

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