Coach K: Wendell Moore Filled In For Tre Jones, May Play Point In NBA
When Duke point guard Tre Jones left the Blue Devils’ 105-54 win over Central Arkansas, backup Jordan Goldwire was the natural replacement. But Goldwire couldn’t go the other way without a rest.
So coach Mike Krzyzewski found a unique solution to the problem. He had 6-foot-6 forward Wendell Moore bring the ball up court and run Duke’s offense.
Krzyzewski had previously said Moore was capable of defending all five positions on the floor. Moore is also apparently versatile on offense.
“A few years from now that [point guard] might be what he plays,” Krzyzewski said, “because he’s that big guard.”
Moore had three assists in the game, second to Goldwire’s four, but he shouldn’t start preparing for a position switch anytime soon.
“He’s not ready to be a point guard at the level,” Krzyzewski said. “I don’t want him to think of himself as a point guard. He’s got a body that can drive and finish, but I want him to be able to play with the ball instead of calling him a point guard.”
Moore’s versatility gives Duke plenty of options.
“If he’s got the ball on top, then you can look at some different things offensively,” Coach K said. “Where you even post him or take him off of stuff. To get that experience is good. Really good.”
Krzyzewski has preached the importance of positionless basketball. Using Moore at point is an example of that.
“We’re not trying to get him to play behind Tre,” he said. “We’re not trying to do the things that you’re asking me about. The normal organizational things, I’m not trying to do those things. There isn’t a plan like that. The plan is to play good defense. That’s what we’re going to keep attempting to do, and we are doing it.”
