Eric Moreland has yet to appear in an official NBA game, but the rookie hasn’t stopped running the floor, blocking shots or rebounding.
Moreland logs heavy minutes in practice, where he finds himself wrestling with the likes of DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay in the post. The Sacramento Kings have used the 6-foot-10, 218-pound forward as any other player in drills, but his value to the team right now comes as a scout team player, a skilled one at that, who can give veterans a different look and style to help prepare for future opponents.
“My role has been nothing different, just to be a defensive guy, get these guys ready for the game, and continue to be a good teammate,” Moreland told Cowbell Kingdom on Tuesday. “I got a lot of vets in front of me right now, so my time will come, and the team is doing really good right now, so I’m just being real supportive right now. For the team, be a defensive guy, and for the team, develop every day in practice, and just keep learning. Keep learning every day.”
The Oregon State star has come a long way since going undrafted in the summer. Moreland led the NBA Summer League in blocks, which he parlayed into a three-year, nonguaranteed contract with the Kings. The 22-year-old only entered three preseason games and recorded 20 minutes of floor time, but he impressed coaches enough to win a roster spot on the team.
Moreland didn’t appear in the Kings’ first four games, and he was optioned to the Reno Bighorns, Sacramento’s D-League affiliate, on November 4. The big averaged a double-double in two starts before the Kings called him back on November 17, and he returned with a better perspective of NBA practices.
“Reno’s more up and down, full court pressure, shoot a lot of 3’s and 2’s, no midranges, and Sacramento likes to get up and down as well but it’s a little more structural in Sacramento, and a lot more plays,” Moreland noted. “We don’t really have any plays in Reno, so it’s a lot different, they’re not the same at all.”
Now with a world-class training staff and gym equipment at his disposal, Moreland is taking advantage of his time in Sacramento. He is still very raw on the offensive end and growing as a defender, so the rookie has committed himself to putting in extra hours after morning sessions.
“After every practice, I just work on different parts of my game.” Moreland said. “Whatever the coach has for me, then I work on afterwards. Not just one specific part, just overall.”
Moreland will likely be sent down to Reno in the near future, but the reality hasn’t made him bitter or nervous. The young prospect understands that his development will be steady, and preparation is key while he awaits his big NBA break.
“You (have) to stay in shape, but you can’t get down and not touch a basketball anymore, when I’m not playing a lot,” said the rookie. “Like I said, I got five or six vets in front of me at my position, so right now you just have to learn. When I’m on the bench, I watch and learn, and keep learning, keep learning, and listen to these vets. When coach calls your name you (have) to be ready and be a professional.”
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