Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoQuick, name the greatest walk-on player in the history of college basketball.
If you ask CBS analyst Billy Packer, it’s Kansas University junior Christian Moody — college basketball’s “Rudy.” And Packer made sure the rest of the nation heard it Jan. 9 during the Jayhawks’ game at Kentucky.
Moody has opinions, too, on walk-ons who made good.
“There’s plenty, and the reason I know that there’s plenty is because I’ve definitely got a couple of buddies who looked it up,” Moody said. “Jeff Hornacek was a walk-on at Iowa State, and he turned out to be a pretty darned good player. I mean, I think he went to three NBA Finals.”
Hornacek worked his way up the Cyclones’ ranks to earn honorable-mention All-America status, and he followed that with a 15-year NBA career with Phoenix, Philadelphia and Utah.
Moody’s story nearly is as inspiring.
He wasn’t a McDonald’s All-American, and he didn’t have big-time college coaches beating down his door as a senior at T.C. Roberson High in Asheville, N.C. Moody’s offers were coming from the likes of New York University and Davidson.
But he wanted a chance to prove himself as a walk-on at a major Division One program. Throw in the fact that then-KU coach Roy Williams was a Roberson grad, and you had a match made in Carolina.
“Coming here, I didn’t really expect to play at all,” Moody said. “I knew (KU walk-ons) were treated really well and that they got to play the mop-up minutes at the end of the game. And that’s what I was expecting, that kind of playing time and just try to be the best practice player I could be.”
But Moody has been both bench-warmer and starter, which may explain his status as a fan favorite. Most students relate to him because, well, he’s mostly like one of them.
He likes hanging out with his girlfriend and roommate, he pulls late-night study sessions at Anschutz Science Library for scorchers like Organic Chemistry 2 and Physics 2, and he’s beginning to sweat an impending MCAT test.
Moody, who carries a 3.5 grade-point average, has shown a solid work ethic in all areas of his life.
“He was already a fan favorite before because he already is that quiet, shy guy,” roommate and teammate Stephen Vinson said. “He is definitely the underdog, and seeing how far he’s come, it’s something that people enjoy to see. He’s worked for it, and people appreciate that.”
Even though that hard work doesn’t always calculate into big numbers, Moody is a coach’s dream because he does the little things like diving for loose balls, tipping in misses and taking charges.
Moody’s role wasn’t fully appreciated by the masses until he missed games against Iowa State and Oklahoma — two KU losses — because of an infection in his knee.
Moody returned Feb. 27 against Oklahoma State, scored 11 points and was a monster on defense in the Jayhawks’ 81-79 victory.
Next year, Moody’s role again will increase as a senior leader on a young team.
But there was something else that played into Moody’s rise: “Luck.”
“I’ve just had a lot of stuff work out for me,” he said. “I mean, with David Padgett transferring, that left Moulaye (Niang) and me as the returning big guys alongside Wayne (Simien) with the freshmen. I think coach (Bill) Self’s offense, just things that he has us do in games, I feel fortunate that I’ve had a chance to really work into that.”
Maybe more important is the impression he has left on Asheville.
Roberson boys basketball coach Rich Sizemore sees Moody as a prime example why it pays to live your life the right way. Sizemore also coached Christian’s brother, Patrick, who just finished his Roberson career.
“I think what it shows them is that often times you’re rewarded if you do things the right way, the kid who is the good student, is the good kid and tries to fit in and do everything the right way,” Sizemore said.
“The thing that’s amazing to me is that I talked to him last night, and after the amazing year he’s had, he’s as humble as he ever was. It’s amazing to me how he’s been able to maintain the type of individual he was. Inside he’s more confident, but outwardly, he’s that same Christian we always knew when he left here.”
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Good grief! No Keith
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