KIA SKILLS CHALLENGE

February 15, 2025

Moses Moody

Quick Quotes

Q. On young players finding their way in the NBA.

MOSES MOODY: That is a really good question. I think coming into the NBA so young, so many players need to figure out who you are but you also have to have a brand and create a brand at the same time. That can get confusing. You might know a rapper or performer or singer and they might have that personality they're supposed to be, but they also have that real personality.

Being able to turn it on and turn it off is essential for your mental health and your livelihood. But a lot of people coming in at a young age aren't able to distinguish between the two and they get confused.

Q. On Draymond Green.

MOSES MOODY: They know that's my dog. He's going to show up when the lights is on, he's going to show up when we need him to. I don't need him in the Skills Challenge, I need him in the playoffs.

Q. How exciting are you just for the second half with what your team has done?

MOSES MOODY: Yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited going into it. We've got some new energy, feeling good, coming off this last road trip. Jimmy has been great for the team. In the locker room it's been a smooth transition, so I'm excited for the rest of the season.

Q. How much does it fire you up, the way he gets to the free throw line?

MOSES MOODY: Yeah, that helps a lot, and he brings that tenacity, that dog he got in him, but also an underrated thing I think he brings is composure. He's not a fast, high-turnover player. So, I think that's good for our team to come down, slow us down, especially closing out games. If we have 10-point lead we've got to be able to close that game out.

Q. Are you staying the next couple days?

MOSES MOODY: I'll finish the night, but I'm headed out.

Q. To expand on it, was there ever a feeling of panic in the locker room, and has that gone away since the trade?

MOSES MOODY: I wouldn't say feeling a panic just because we're NBA players and you've got to be prepared for whatever. Just practicing composure, practicing high-intensity situations but being able to go out there and perform is what we do on a daily basis. Managing emotions is what I think we're professionals at.

Q. So it's better now or feels the same?

MOSES MOODY: That's a good question. I feel like we'll see. Coming into the playoffs, you never really know what the highs and lows are going to look like. We have to form that identity as a new team essentially. We changed out a lot of players, so we've got to form a new identity.