Omari Moore brings versatility to the SJSU roster
SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose State guard Omari Moore is not one who likes to show too much emotion on the court, but there have definitely been some exceptions.
Moore is part of a program that is currently in the rebuilding process under new head coach Tim Miles. The Spartans are not one of the better teams in the Mountain West Conference, but they’re trying to change that by learning how to pick up wins. One of those wins this season was thanks to a game-winning dunk by Moore that was so impressive it even made it into SportsCenter’s Top 10.
“Everyone in the crowd was hyped and yelling,” Moore said. “That definitely brought my own energy up. It was a great moment for sure, a little bit surreal. I’ve seen that video, oh my goodness, I don’t even know how many times. Probably over 100 times to be completely honest with you.”
Did Omari Moore's (@omari_moore13) game-winning dunk make ESPN SportsCenter's Top-🔟 plays❓ OF COURSE‼️#SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/iep5q5SSkf
— San Jose State Men’s Basketball (@SanJoseStateMBB) November 24, 2021
It was a memorable moment for sure, but Moore has shown he has a lot more to offer. He appeared in all 31 games his freshman season and then all 21 games his sophomore year.
This isn’t exactly a surprise, since he can do a little bit of everything. This season, the 6-foot-6 guard is leading his team in scoring, assists and steals. Moore has also shown he can rebound and block.
“He can play a lot of different spots on the floor,” Coach Miles said. “He’s also a guy that we feel is certainly a really good point guard who can play multiple positions. He can play two, three or even four.”
Moore said he has been playing basketball ever since he can remember because both of his parents played. The California native grew up trying a few different sports including football and baseball, but he said that in seventh grade he decided to put all his energy into basketball.
His versatility is no accident. He started out always playing as a guard, but eventually he needed to expand his skills. Moore explained that during his senior year in high school, his team had a lot of guards and sometimes started four or even five of them. This led to him being put in situations that weren’t always what he was used to when it came to guarding opponents. He played against some talented players including Isaiah and Evan Mobely who played for Rancho Christian School.
Although he now feels confident being in different positions, Moore said point guard will probably always be his favorite. He’s clearly a good basketball player and that’s what he would like to pursue.
However, he also lives a balanced life with other interests. Fashion was one of his main hobbies when he was in high school.
“I used to be on YouTube a lot and watch different YouTubers that talked about clothes and shoes,” he said. “It was pretty intriguing to me. My favorite music artist is Kanye West, he kind of had his hand in the fashion game for a while.”
Moore didn’t have a lot of money so he wasn’t buying everything he saw. However, he said he figured he would eventually be able to afford it when he was older so he might as well let his mind wander.
If he wasn’t playing basketball, he said his ideal plan would be to start a brand with one of his cousins who is also into fashion. However, he also admitted that fashion is not one of his top priorities anymore and that the hobby has been fading a little bit.
Currently, Moore’s favorite thing to do during his free time is watching movies. Shutter Island, a psychological thriller on Netflix, is a movie he recommends right now.
“I love movies,” he said. “My roommates here have an AMC membership so we get to see three movies a week. I will go see different movies when they come out.”
Moore said he is someone who can be goofy and just have fun, but also a person who knows when to be serious and have deep conversations. Meanwhile, his teammates describe him as a “humble beast” and unselfish.
The Spartans coach said Moore is a key member of the team, but not just because of his basketball skills. Miles said Moore’s attitude and personality have helped steer SJSU in the right direction.
“Omari has really done a fantastic job buying into who we are and what we are trying to do,” Miles said. “That’s been really good for us. That, and his versatility. We want to continue to have players like that in our program.”
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