Former Kansas Jayhawks guard Isaiah Moss off to sensational start in pro hoops league

Former University of Kansas shooting guard Isaiah Moss has averaged an eye-opening 27.0 points a game through the first three games of his professional basketball career.

The 24-year-old Moss, who was not offered a free agent spot on an NBA roster for the 2020-21 season after being ignored in the 2020 NBA Draft, has scored 20, 28 and 33 points during his initial three outings for the Otago Nuggets of New Zealand’s National Basketball League (NBL).

Moss — he averaged 7.9 points a game in 2019-20 for 28-3 KU — is fourth in the overseas league in scoring at this early juncture of the season.

Josh Selby, 30, who like Moss played one season for the Jayhawks (2010-11), leads the league with a 30.8 scoring average, followed by former Bellarmine University guard Jeremy Kendle (28.3 ppg), former Stephen F. Austin guard Dion Prewster (28.0 ppg) and Moss (27.0 ppg).

Moss so far is playing just as the Nuggets envisioned when they signed the 6-foot-5 Chicago native on Jan. 20.

“He’s going to certainly create some space for people to be able to play. They (defenders) won’t be able to hang off him too much,” Nuggets coach Brent Matehaere told the Otago Daily Times at the time of the Moss signing. “He’s certainly a skilled shooter, so we’re really excited. It’s something that really suits what we’re trying to do this year.”

Moss had 28 points in a 93-66 win over Taranaki Mountainairs after scoring 20 points in the season opener, a 95-73 loss to the Wellington Saints. He had 33 points in a 108-96 win over the Manawatu Jets. Moss has made 23 of 51 shots for 45.1%. He’s also converted 12 of 26 threes for 46.2% and 23 of 27 free throws for 85.2%.

Moss through three games averages 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.7 assists. The 18-game regular season will last until July 17, meaning it’s possible Moss, if he has a stellar season in New Zealand, could land an NBA tryout prior to the start of the 2021-22 campaign.

“What really impressed me (about Moss in game films from KU) is when they make a basket, what’s the next thing they do? The next thing Isaiah does is basically pick up on defense,” Matehaere told the Daily Times. “He’s finding his player (to guard). Moment to moment he’s playing the game the whole time. We can really see that’s entrenched in the way he plays. That’s exactly what we’re looking for in our players as well,” Matehaere added.

Moss was voted star of the game after his recent 33-point scoring performance.

He told the Daily Times there’s room for improvement.

“I’m just trying to get my wind back at this point. Coming out of quarantine (mandated for all players upon reporting to New Zealand) you just take it week by week,” Moss said.

Moss added that he’s “trying to eat clean and go hard and practice hard. Offensively, I think we’ve got things going and my teammates kept finding me and giving me the ball. We probably should do better on defense, so we’ve got to go back and look at the film and see what we can do better.”

Moss averaged 7.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in 30 games (nine starts) for KU in 2019-20. A 38.7% shooter, Moss cashed a team leading 49 threes in 141 tries for 34.8%.

Moss was not selected in the 2020 NBA Draft after interviewing with more than 10 NBA teams. He did not have a chance to play summer basketball with a team as a free agent because there was no summer league in 2020 because of the pandemic.

He’s definitely made a strong first impression in New Zealand.

“Moss was the star. He was unstoppable in the first half,” wrote Adrian Seconi of the Otago Daily Times after Moss’ 33-point game.

“Shortly before Moss took a seat for the night, he leaped high to grab an interception and flick a one-handed pass back in court all in one acrobatic motion,” Seconi added.

“Isaiah Moss is proving to be one of the best two-way players in the League. His 33 points, seven rebounds, seven treys, three steals and one block highlighted his ability to get the job done for the Nuggets at both ends of the floor,” read a summary of the game at the NBL New Zealand Website.

Josh Selby update

Josh Selby, a 6-2, 30-year-old point guard from Baltimore, who left KU after his freshman season (2010-11) and was a second-round draft pick of the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2011 NBA Draft, plays for the Franklin Bulls of New Zealand’s NBL.

After playing parts of two seasons for the Grizzlies, he also has played in the NBA G League as well as the Domincan Republic, Argentina, South Korea, Israel, Turkey, Croatia and China.

Through four games in New Zealand, he’s averaging 4.5 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals to go with his 30.8 ppg mark. He’s made 54.4% of his shots including 48.6% of his threes and 90.5% of his free throws.

“He’s very talented. That is exactly what we were expecting and I don’t think it’s going to stop,” Bulls coach Jamie Reddish told the publication “Stuff..”

“He’s very intelligent on the court and what he sees and when he sees it is far more advanced than other players,” Reddish added.

Selby has had scoring outbursts of 36 and 34 points in two of the four games.

“His intelligence might he his greatest strength,” Reddish told Stuff. “He understands when to change the pace, when to attack, and how to use his body in the air. And he sees things two or three steps sooner than others, so for him this is a little bit slower than what he’s used to. He’s still very athletic, very explosive, and uses that change of pace well. But it all boils down to his intelligence and when and how to use it.

“It’s a surprise he’s in this league, and we’re very thankful for it. We’ve spoken to him about this being a stepping stone to get him back on track. maybe Europe, and maybe back to the NBA. We‘re just happy to play a part in that,” Reddish added.