Whenever and wherever the 2019-20 Duke basketball squad faces a void, its most versatile freshman should serve as a dependable option.
Ideally, the upcoming Duke basketball season won’t include serious injuries, foul trouble, or fatigue at any one position. But past seasons are proof one or more of those issues will pose a threat during one or more games. So long as small forward Wendell Moore is available, though, the Blue Devils shouldn’t have too much to worry about — no matter the circumstances.
Similar to 2000 ACC Player of the Year and second-year Duke assistant Chris Carrawell, Moore possesses the necessary skills, dimensions, and desire to at least hold down the fort for a spell at either guard or forward position. No problem.
In fact, Moore is the exact same height (6-foot-6) and weight (210 pounds) as the college version of Carrawell. And though neither displays the prettiest game, both have a rare ability to control a game without the need for fanfare.
As for filling in at the five-spot — a possibility with only two true centers on the Duke basketball roster — if Moore could pull off even half the feat that Carrawell did as a freshman on Feb. 5, 1997, the Blue Devils would be just fine.
On that night, Mike Krzyzewski put his trust in Carrawell to start at center, and the St. Louis native spurred a surprising 73-68 win at Wake Forest, ending Duke’s nine-game losing streak in the series and blocking Wake’s shot to reach No. 1 in the polls for the first time in history.
Carrawell exceeded expectations by coming up with a key block in the waning minutes after clamping down all game on a Demon Deacons lineup that included three guys 6-foot-10 or taller, including all-everything senior Tim Duncan.
Moore’s long-armed defense certainly caused plenty of havoc of its own for opponents of all sizes in high school; his 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game as a senior played a huge part in Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.) reaching a third consecutive state championship game.
In terms of perimeter abilities, like Carrawell, Moore figures to be the kind of player the Duke basketball staff can trust to run the point — when necessary — without turning the ball over (with Tre Jones back for a sophomore campaign and junior Jordan Goldwire a proven backup, it’s not likely Moore will ever have to run the offense, but it’s nice to know he could).
In terms of athleticism, Carrawell and Moore appear to check the same boxes — most all of them. In terms of shooting, Carrawell’s field goal and 3-point percentages at Duke are nearly identical to those of Moore as a high school senior: 48.6 and 36.0 to 52.8 and 36.2, respectively. In terms of free throws, Moore hit 79.7 percent last season, better than Carrawell’s clip of 77.8 percent as a Duke senior.
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The two 6-foot-6, 210-pounders aren’t exactly alike, but what they do share — a chief reason Coach K chased after both to become Duke basketball players — is the ability to unselfishly take the shape of any size safety net the Blue Devils ever need.
In summary, don’t be surprised during any game this season — and maybe for several seasons to come — to see Moore fulfilling several roles. And then don’t be surprised a couple of decades from now if Moore again does like Carrawell, putting his mind and leadership qualities to good use by returning to Durham in order to take on a teaching role from the Duke basketball bench.
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Moore and the Blue Devils tip off the season on Nov. 5 against Kansas at the Champions Classic inside Madison Square Garden.
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