It might be early days, but Moses Moody does look like the real deal. That should’ve been obvious after winning a ring in his rookie season with the Golden State. It does seem like he’s slowly getting higher into Steve Kerr’s pecking order, gradually increasing his appearances year on year.

But without the unwavering support of his family, he’d not be where he is. Moses has often spoken about his parents’ influence on him achieving his dreams of becoming a pro baller. So what does his early life look like from the outside?

Who are Moses Moody’s parents?

22-year-old Moses was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 31st, 2002. He is the little rock of parents Kareem and Rona Moody.

What brings Kareem’s parenting style into the equation is his leadership- not just of the household, but of the whole community Moses had around him during his upbringing. There might be role models more pertaining to the sport, yes. But the presence of a powerful father figure- a bit like Kareem- was instrumental in the right kind of mentality Moses built to survive in the majors. Once Moses got serious about his own aspirations, he used to wake his dad up early in the morning for a pre-school workout. That mentality was helped on by Kareem, eyeing a foundation of dedication and discipline from an early age. And how did that fare in front of Kerr? “Well, clear seas don’t make a worthy sailor,” said Moses during a training camp– taught to him by his dad.

His mom’s style of parenting is a complete contrast. But it was a contrast that needed to be there. A father’s discipline requires a mother’s love- and that’s exactly what Rona brought to the table. She used to go to all his matches wearing a Moses Warriors jersey- be it any venue- so that there was at least one supporter in the crowd. These represented the values that aided the rough and tough moments you go through as an NBA player. There was a permanent emotional support system for when times were laboured.

You know the work ethic that his dad helped nurture? It was actually set in stone by his brother- Miles. It was the older brother nature of Miles that set a perfect example for Moses growing up. He’d mentioned that he’d observed his brother engaging in intense independent workouts, ‘weaving between cones and sprinting back and forth until he was drenched in sweat.’ The sibling relationship thus served as a crucial catalyst for Moses’s development as a disciplined athlete.

Upon time to dip his toe in the college basketball scene, his family supported his eventual decision to return to his home state and attend the University of Arkansas.

Which college did Moses Moody attend? How good was he in college?

Back to his hometown. Moses Moody repped the colors of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Not just the passion of playing the sport he loved- but the fact he was doing it for the community he grew up in just made it that much sweeter.

In the 2020-21 NCAA Division I season, Moody started all 32 games, averaging 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Not just that, he matched high career-high 28 points four times in that season. Talk about consistency. He was the pillar shooting guard in a historic season for the Razorbacks.

They got to the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA tournament for the first time since 1995. They also got a top-10 finish in the polls and had a brilliant 25-7 record that closed out the year. For his contributions, Moody earned SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC honors. He chose to declare for the 2021 NBA draft, after just a year in the collegiate scene.

“It’s really big having my parents be so proud of me because getting to this point, they put everything on the line.” Kareem and Rona Moody, along with Moses’ older brother Miles- gave him the foundation he needed to make it to the big time. Steve Kerr knows his value- and respects their work in the way Moses Moody is coming about in the NBA since his inevitable arrival.