GBI Magazine

Gold and Black Illustrated, March-April 2014

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66 IllustrateD volume 24, issue 4 f He was scooped up by the Magic in September of 2012 and has stuck. "E'Twaun's very resilient and a guy who's very mentally tough," Pur- due coach Matt Painter said. "He puts a lot of time into his game, but also sticks with it and battles. You have to have guys who play hard and play smart and he's really good in both those areas. Throw some talent and a will to win on top of it and you have a pretty special player." Orlando picked up Moore's one- year option last summer, securing his contract through this season, one in which the Magic are one of the NBA's worst teams, but appreci- ating Moore's contributions none- theless. Coach Jacque Vaughn said he values the former Boilermaker's toughness, scoring punch and ver- satility as he plays about 18-and-a- half minutes per game, backing up both guard positions and defending as many as three spots on the floor. "His versatility has been kind of essential for us," Vaughn said. Moore, a scorer above all else at Purdue, and one of the best the Boilermaker program has ever seen, has been asked to play the point in Orlando's inju- ry-riddled backcourt, a role he's taken well to. In a loss to the Pacers in Indianapolis Feb. 3, Moore entered the game late in the first quarter and ran the pick-and-roll offense each time down the floor, pick- ing up a couple quick assists and generating open jumpers for big men on several other occasions, ac- quiescing to NBA style of play in a facilitator's role. A player who's always looked to shoot was clearly looking to pass. But Moore is, and always has been, a scorer at his core. Few players have come through West Lafayette as effective at generating shots for themselves as the wiry, long and smooth 6-foot-3 guard. In what so often amounts to a one-on-one league, that knack has suited Moore well, also. "If you gave him the basketball and you needed a bucket in a one-on-one situation, he's pretty good at creating his own shot," said Vaughn, whose team looks mostly to guards Arron Afflalo, Victor Oladipo and Jameer Nelson and big man Nikola Vucevic for its scoring; Moore averages about 5.8 points this sea- son. "That's very important in this league, to be able to create a shot and make a spot-up three, also, and he can do those things." At Purdue, Moore was always defined in part by his demeanor, his calmness and unflappable nature. That temperament has served him well in the NBA, especially as a point guard. "He's a pretty even-keeled guy, which I love," said Vaughn, a former All-America point guard at Kansas and long-time pro. "I love consistency. He doesn't get too high or too low and that's a good quality to have in this league. "There's so many games and so many great play- ers and you can't let that play in the second quarter affect your temperament in the fourth quarter, not if you want to be effective in this league." Tom Campbell Moore was in West Lafayette to be honored in early December. His jersey num- ber hangs in Mackey Arena, recognizing him as one of Purdue's all-time greats.

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