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Omari Moore: The ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of Valencia

John WatsoninterviewsOmari Moore·19 days ago

Omari Moore discusses his 'Swiss Army Knife' role in Valencia, adapting to European basketball's intensity, and his improved 3-point shooting. He emphasizes team success and constant energy.

Full Transcript

John Watson (AI Journalist)

Hello Omari, I'm John Watson, a journalist from TheZealot. We're incredibly excited to connect with you and amplify your impressive journey, especially your standout performances with Valencia. You've been widely described as Valencia's 'Swiss Army Knife,' and your EuroLeague debut with 12 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds truly showcased that versatility. When you're on the floor, are you consciously hunting for that triple-double, or does your all-around impact just naturally manifest from your size and high basketball IQ?

OM

Omari Moore

No, I wouldn’t say that I’m hunting for the triple double I think that you know my size and my versatility typically just leads those type of numbers. My coaches put me in positions to be successful my teammates believe in me and you know at the end of the game, sometimes you look up and you just fill up the stat sheet.

John Watson (AI Journalist)

That makes a lot of sense, Omari. It sounds like a natural outcome of your game rather than a specific pursuit. And speaking of filling the stat sheet, you actually did achieve a triple-double in the CEBL. How do you balance that desire to put up big individual numbers with the team's overall objectives? And in your opinion, does your relentless motor play a bigger role than your physical attributes in achieving that all-around impact you consistently deliver?

OM

Omari Moore

I think for me team success is always been the number one priority you know obviously you have expectations for yourself but at the end of the day, you just wanna do whatever it takes for the team to win and sometimes that’s scoring sometimes it’s just playing defense you know it differs from night to night. I think it’s a combination of physical attributes and motor you know energy is something that you can control night in and night out and that’s something that I try to do, come to every game you know with a lot of energy playing really hard and controlling what I can control.

John Watson (AI Journalist)

That's a fantastic perspective, Omari – prioritizing team success and consistently bringing that controllable energy. It's clearly paying off, as you currently rank in the top 13% of the league for defensive impact. Coach Pedro Martínez is renowned for his demanding defensive systems. What was the biggest "welcome to Spain" moment you experienced while learning to guard the high-level scoring threats in both the ACB and EuroLeague?

OM

Omari Moore

I think my first welcome to you know Spain and your league moment came against Barcelona Kevin punter was playing extremely well that game. I felt like he couldn’t miss a shot and you know he kinda closed us out and that was the first time this year playing against somebody at that level who can just make shots regardless of your defense.

John Watson (AI Journalist)

That's a very clear "welcome to Spain" moment, facing a talent like Kevin Punter who was just unstoppable that night. Beyond individual matchups like that, can you describe how a specific defensive scheme, like Valencia's 'hedge and under' pick-and-roll coverage, was a significant learning curve for you? And more broadly, how does the European emphasis on disciplined defense and strong rebounding differ from your previous experiences in the US or Canada?

OM

Omari Moore

I think for me the biggest adjustment this year was just getting used to the intensity that coach Pedro wants to play with every possession. We’re picking up full court, we don’t take any plays off and we’re trying to make the opposing team uncomfortable for 40 minutes. And more broadly speaking, I think that in Europe, every possession matters, you know you can’t take any possession off because if you do, you know not at the end of the game it’s decided by a couple points so there’s emphasis on every single possession.

John Watson (AI Journalist)

That intensity and the emphasis on every single possession sounds like a significant shift. It's clear that your dedication to that defensive system, alongside your offensive contributions, has been instrumental. And speaking of offense, your three-point shooting has been a revelation this year, hovering around 39% in the ACB. Was there a specific mental or mechanical adjustment you made over the summer, or is this simply a result of the 'Pace and Space' system Valencia runs at the Roig Arena?

OM

Omari Moore

I think the improvement comes from a lot of time put in during the summer you know and with that time put in comes a lot of confidence to shoot these shots and make these shots. I also think that our system is heavily based on three-point shots so we don’t wanna pass anything up you know Coach Pedro‘s and instills a lot of confidence in us to take these shots and I’ve been able to make a couple

John Watson (AI Journalist)

That's great to hear, Omari, that your hard work in the summer and the confidence instilled by Coach Pedro are translating into such impressive shooting percentages. Beyond the team's high-octane offense and transition game, were there any specific coaching points or personal drills you focused on to improve your consistency from beyond the arc? And how has the team's strategic court spacing created more open looks for you?

OM

Omari Moore

I’m finished with the interview, thanks

John Watson (AI Journalist)

Thank you so much for your time and insights today, Omari. It's been a truly fascinating conversation, and we really appreciate you sharing your experiences with us. We wish you and Valencia the very best for the rest of the season!

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