Moody was drafted 14th overall in the 2021 NBA draft by the Warriors. During his rookie season with the team, he won an NBA championship.
Early life
Moody began playing high school basketball for Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he helped his team reach the state championship game in his freshman season.[1] As a sophomore, he moved to North Little Rock High School in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Moody averaged 18.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, leading his team to the Class 7A state title.[2] He was named to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Underclassman Team and the Arkansas 7A All-State Team.[3] For his junior year, Moody transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. He averaged 17.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game for Bradley Beal Elite at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) regular season and was named to the All-EYBL honorable mention.[4] In his senior season, Moody averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game for Montverde, the consensus number one team in the nation, who he helped achieve a 25–0 regular season record.[1]
Moody received several high major NCAA Division I scholarship offers as early as his sophomore season.[5] He finished high school as a consensus four-star recruit in the 2020 class. On November 9, 2019, Moody committed to play college basketball for Arkansas over offers from Michigan and Virginia, among others. He became the highest ranked player to commit to Arkansas since Bobby Portis of the 2013 class.[6]
Moody recorded a career-high 28 points four times in the 2020–2021 season for the Razorbacks.[7] As a freshman, he averaged 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.[8] Moody earned SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC honors.[9] After helping Arkansas to a 25–7 overall record, an Elite Eight appearance in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, and a Top Ten finish in the polls, he declared for the 2021 NBA draft on April 9, 2021, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.[8]