Just a few days after the Clippers’ season ended final month, Xavier Moon was getting ready for a flight dwelling to Alabama. Between gathering his issues and the short turnaround, he didn’t have a lot time to course of the earlier 9 months.
There can be a lot to unpack later.
Throughout a season when the Clippers’ rotations at instances appeared like a revolving door due to quite a few absences associated both to accidents or COVID, Moon grew to become essentially the most acquainted of the brand new faces.
Initially signed to play in Italy this season, Moon purchased out his contract final summer time after receiving curiosity from G League groups, and the purpose guard landed on the Clippers’ affiliate in Ontario earlier than roster attrition with the Clippers led him to make his NBA debut on Dec. 27, six days earlier than his twenty seventh birthday. He performed out three 10-day contracts and in March signed a two-way contract that expires after this season.
Moon’s first, partial NBA season ended with 10 appearances, 137 minutes, 58 factors, a four-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio and a entrance seat to January’s 25-point comeback in opposition to Denver and 24-point comeback in Philadelphia. He grew shut with level guard Reggie Jackson, who referred to as Moon a “Clipper for actual,” and credited Moon with serving to maintain him energized in the course of the winter at a time when the Clippers’ depth was at its thinnest.
In an interview with The Instances, Moon expressed confidence that he'll play within the Las Vegas Summer season League in July, although he was unclear whether or not it will be with the Clippers.
Moon’s final objective, which he expressed at instances all through his first style of the NBA, has all the time been clear — to make a 15-man NBA roster.
This interview has been condensed and edited for readability.
Would taking part in once more in Canada’s Elite Basketball League this summer time be one thing you in any respect would do? [Moon is a three-time CEBL most valuable player and won two league championships.] Or if you're making an attempt to get right into a coaching camp, is that one thing you don’t wish to do?
I’m not going again this 12 months. They clearly know what I’m making an attempt to do right here, what I’ve executed right here. So that is my essential focus proper now. So I’m going to take the summer time to essentially give attention to myself, however clearly I’ll be maintaining a watch on it, seeing what they do.
In March while you signed your two-way contract, you talked about that it was only one objective you hope to verify off, however you might have others, like incomes a roster spot. How do you go about utilizing this offseason to perform that, past simply taking part in nicely at summer time league?
Simply in all probability getting suggestions from the coaches on the teaching employees. Earlier than I even signed my two-way right here I had a dialog with the group from Phoenix. In order that they had been giving me some suggestions on issues that they thought I might work on, issues that I’ve executed nicely, so I really feel like getting suggestions from coaches which have seen me play will clearly assist me elevate my recreation. So simply getting that suggestions from the coaches right here, after which attacking the offseason, like I all the time do, whether or not it's within the gymnasium or on the court docket as you watch movie, it’s just about going to be the identical factor however slightly bit extra wrapped up getting nearer to summer time league.
You heard from the Suns’ teaching employees?
Once I was within the G, I requested for some suggestions as a result of [my agent] was speaking with them on the time earlier than I signed my two-way, so that they had been giving me some suggestions on the issues that they’ve seen once I was taking part in with Agua Caliente.
So from what you’ve heard about your self from across the league, what do you are feeling are the belongings you wish to give attention to most within the offseason?
Simply my physique. Bettering my physique, getting stronger, clearly add slightly weight and that may assist with each facet of my recreation and aside from that simply being a pupil of the sport, simply studying to be an NBA level guard, facilitating and figuring out when and the place to attain.
I spoke this season with Clippers assistant Larry Drew about taking part in the place of level guard on the stage required within the NBA, and he talked about what number of issues you need to weigh when taking part in that function, equivalent to not taking your self out of the sport whereas getting others concerned, too.
Typically you’re working a play for a particular participant, however let’s simply say the play breaks down. Now you need to work out the following possibility or Possibility 2 or Possibility 3 inside 24 seconds. It’s not as straightforward as individuals suppose it's, and being a rookie might be like the toughest factor to do. You have got to have the ability to learn physique language, you might have to have the ability to learn all of that. If any person not touching the ball, clearly, you haven’t touched the ball in three or 4 performs, that subsequent possession that you just contact the ball, greater than possible you’re going to shoot it since you haven’t had the ball. I believe that’s like the largest factor in all probability to regulate to, simply studying the right way to learn the room. I really had a dialog with Larry Drew and he was like, “Man, you’re in all probability essentially the most instinctive level guard I’ve ever seen.” I’ve been taking part in my entire life so it comes pure, however on the similar time it’s nonetheless stuff that I've to be taught as a degree guard.
What had been examples of what he meant by that?
Primarily once I get off the ball, coming off ball screens or making passes on the proper time, figuring out when and the place to attain, figuring out time and rating, quite a lot of that stuff issues, and I really feel like that’s what he meant when he stated “instinctive.” You don’t have to show me quite a lot of stuff as a result of I already know the right way to set guys up, I understand how to arrange their cuts, I do know when to move them the ball and the place they need it, so I really feel like that’s what he meant.
To provide individuals a way of what it’s wish to be on the staff, what’s it wish to be coached by Tyronn Lue?
Offers you a special stage of confidence. Clearly he performed, so he’s a participant’s coach, however the first dialog I had with him when he informed me I used to be really going to get some taking part in time, he referred to as me that night time and was like, “We’re going to play you tomorrow, I don’t need you to stroll on eggshells. Play free, run the staff.” He was like, “ the performs, you understand what to do, makes and misses we doing this, and aside from that simply have enjoyable with it.” He was like, “Play the way you play within the G League.” So, I believe any coach that provides their gamers that stage of confidence is straightforward to play for.
Gamers described how sturdy the locker room was this season, and that it was a consider maintaining the season afloat regardless of the accidents and absences. Who had been the driving forces behind how the locker room stayed collectively?
It was a loopy season and even once I received there you'll suppose that the vitality can be lots totally different than what it was, I simply really feel prefer it was everyone. Whether or not we gained or misplaced a recreation clearly we knew we had been down gamers however we approached each recreation the identical manner and more often than not it was led by the vets — Marcus [Morris], Reg, Luke [Kennard], all these guys. The locker room by no means modified whether or not we gained a recreation or misplaced a recreation, whether or not we had the entire roster or we had seven or eight dudes, we all the time approached it the identical manner, and I believe that gave everyone else within the locker room confidence simply to know that everyone believed in one another. That was from the time I signed my first 10-day. After which clearly when Paul [George] got here again that was lots totally different as a result of it was the identical with him. All people — it’s going to be any person’s night time each different night time. Simply having that help out of your teammates man, makes it straightforward to play for everyone within the locker room.
What was it wish to be round Paul George and Kawhi Leonard? What did you see from both that impressed or struck you about them?
Their work ethic. Daily getting up photographs, within the weight room, that kind of stuff. I received to see firsthand why they're who they're and the way they method video games, how they method practices and stuff like that. I really feel like that’s one thing that may rub off on me as nicely, going into the offseason, simply seeing how they method every single day.
What drew you to Reggie Jackson, otherwise you to him, since you two appeared to click on.
It’s totally different as a result of I can’t actually pinpoint one factor that drew us to one another. I simply know once I signed my first 10-day he was out with COVID and so I believe it was the Toronto recreation the place he got here again and he walked within the locker room and was loud and dapping everyone up. I believed simply by him he was a quiet individual, and when he dapped me up, we was speaking and I used to be like, “I believed you was a quiet individual.” He was like, “Nope, this me proper right here, on a regular basis.” I believe from that day on that’s simply how we had been. And me, I’ve all the time been excessive vitality, taking part in or not. I really feel like I helped him due to the vitality that I had once I was taking part in or not and I’m all the time telling him like simply have enjoyable, like don’t fear in regards to the final result or nothing, simply go on the market and have enjoyable and I believe that’s the place the entire little smile factor [a celebration where Moon and Jackson exaggerated a smile at each other entering timeouts] got here from. As soon as I received these minutes in Brooklyn, that was in all probability the primary time that we began doing that. He was like, “Hey, man, simply have enjoyable.” He was like, “Shoot your photographs and the remaining is historical past.” That’s simply how we had been from the time I signed in December till the final recreation.
You’ve performed all around the globe, and perhaps it’s so simple as getting a roster spot within the NBA, however what do you continue to wish to accomplish?
Simply making a reputation for myself. I really feel like everyone is aware of me as Jamario Moon’s nephew. It’s time for me to make a reputation for myself within the NBA, nevertheless that could be, whether or not that’s taking part in right here or taking part in someplace else. However positively making a reputation for myself, man, and discovering a scenario the place I can match and assist the staff win.
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