Brand-new Charlotte Hornets guard Wendell Moore Jr. is officially back after the Detroit Pistons released him a few days ago. The Duke graduate has been a hit and a miss in the NBA so far, after playing for a number of teams before the Pistons waived him.
Native to Virginia, he moved to North Carolina and attended the Cox Mill High School. Marie and Wendell Moore recognized his talent early on- mostly because Wendell Sr. himself played college basketball for Christopher Newport University, repping the Captain’s colors. Junior’s cousin played in college too, which shows the athletic background he has in his upbringing. Not only this, but his girlfriend Lexi Gordon met him while playing for the Blue Devils in 2019. They now have a daughter together, Aria Christina-Grayce Moore.
He had talent coursing through his veins, setting a legacy in the Carnabus County circuit. He nearly averaged a double-double in all 3 years and was the fastest player to reach 1,000 career points in country history. It tends to happen when you average 25.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, and 2.3 SPG as your team wins their third straight title.
As mentioned before, he is a graduate of Duke University, repping the Duke Blue Devils. He picked them over offers from North Carolina Tar Heels, NC State Wolfpacks, South Carolina Gamecocks, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He did eventually win the Julius Erving in 2022, before declaring for the 2022 NBA draft. But from the get-go of his career, injuries proved to be a bit of an inconvenience rather than his actual kryptonite.
Hornets newbie Moore Jr. hoping for a career revival
Despite all the setbacks, the talent always prevailed. Being drafted as the 26th overall pick in the 2022 draft for the Minnesota Timberwolves, he played for two seasons. But in the 54 games he played for the Wolves, he only averaged 1.1 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists in 4.2 minutes per game. His talent didn’t seem to show up for them, despite his best efforts. He was then traded to the Detroit Pistons earlier this season. While seeing an increased role, he only managed to play about 20 games, averaging 3.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 10.2 minutes per game while shooting 46% from the field.
The Hornets came to his rescue. They’re hoping to get the most out of him while also slowly improving him over time. He’s signed a two-way deal with them. Under the two-way deal, Moore Jr. will split time between the Hornets and their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. This allows him to play up to 50 games for the Hornets in the NBA, while also finding his way back to consistency.
Wendell Moore Jr.’s journey reflects both untapped potential and hard-earned resilience. Despite setbacks and limited roles in previous stops, his two-way deal with the Hornets marks a fresh start—a pivotal chance to harness his raw talent and fulfill the legacy that runs deep in his veins. With the Hornets 14th in the East, they’ll be hoping Wendell will live up to the name he set and the talent he set at a collegiate level. Do you think he’ll appear for their next game against the look LA Lakers on Feb 20th?
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