Former Duke Basketball Captain has career highs in the NBA

The Detroit Pistons (5-8) recently declined their team option for former three-year Duke basketball player Wendell Moore Jr., who is currently in his first season with the franchise after being traded in July following his first two seasons as a pro with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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So Moore will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025. And considering the 23-year-old North Carolina native has played fewer than 60 NBA games while averaging just 1.4 points in his career, you’d think the former No. 26 overall draft pick still has a lot to prove as he hopes to stay in the league beyond this season.

While Moore’s stats were far from overwhelming in Detroit’s 127-120 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks (4-8) on Wednesday night, his highlights, rebounds and minutes in the game certainly seem encouraging.

He finished with nine points and four boards in his 23 minutes off the bench against the Bucks, nearly tripling his playing time from his three previous appearances this season. He shot 4-for-8 from the field and 1-for-2 from beyond the arc.

Wendell Moore Jr. and the Detroit Pistons remain on the road to take on the Toronto Raptors (2-10), including 2018-19 Duke basketball one-and-done guard RJ Barrett, at 7 p.m. ET Friday.

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