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CJ Moore

@cjmoorehoops.bsky.social
5.9K followers 143 following 236 posts

National college basketball writer at The Athletic.

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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
A look at the best new international prospects in college hoops. The status for some is still up in the air: www.nytimes.com/athletic/764...
nytimes.com
College basketball’s international wave: These 11 newcomers could make impacts (Gift Article)
St. John's, UCLA, LSU and others are hoping for big seasons from their international imports.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Guy makes me hate myself. He’s a real jerk.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Same.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Make time this week to read this: www.nytimes.com/athletic/761...
nytimes.com
An improbable NBA breakthrough, a descent into darkness: ‘We weren’t all that different’ (Gift Article)
Behind Duncan Robinson’s unlikely ascent was a hidden second life — a decade spent as a quiet lifeline tethering his brother to reality.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
New story on the bizarre world of college basketball right now where the eligibility of the 2022 class and many international players is still up in the air just seven weeks until the start of the college basketball season: www.nytimes.com/athletic/759...
nytimes.com
College basketball’s eligibility chaos could decide which teams make the Top 25 (Gift Article)
Less than two months before the season, several NCAA Tournament hopefuls face roster uncertainty as key players await eligibility rulings.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Chad Baker-Mazara is suing USC for not paying out his contract and says Eric Musselman kicked him off team and told him to “Go back to the f—ing Dominican Republic!” Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/759...
nytimes.com
Ex-USC star Chad Baker-Mazara sues school, alleges Eric Musselman launched racially charged tirade (Gift Article)
The lawsuit by the former USC men's basketball player alleges that Musselman told him to "go back to the f---ing Dominican Republic!"
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Final day of analysis on teams who did foreign tours this summer. Finishing up with Arkansas, Auburn and Texas A&M: www.nytimes.com/athletic/754...
nytimes.com
Arkansas and Jordan Smith Jr. look ‘elite,’ and more summer SEC basketball observations (Gift Article)
We check in on three SEC teams that took foreign tours to play exhibition games this summer.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I talked to Matt Painter, Darian DeVries and Jerrod Calhoun about their summer foreign tours. Some thoughts and observations on Purdue, Indiana and Cincinnati: www.nytimes.com/athletic/754...
nytimes.com
College basketball summer tours: What we learned about Purdue, Indiana, Cincinnati
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Thanks for reading. You should definitely be excited.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Why I’m buying the Arizona Wildcats after their trip to Lithuania, plus thoughts on Michigan two games into its tour: www.nytimes.com/athletic/753...
nytimes.com
What we learned about 2 Final Four teams — Michigan and Arizona — on their summer foreign tours (Gift Article)
Why Arizona looks like a title contender already, and why there's no reason to panic about Michigan's losses overseas.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I talked to Dusty May about what convinced him it was time to leave Michigan for the NBA and how he thinks college basketball should address its issues: www.nytimes.com/athletic/750...
nytimes.com
Dusty May explains why he left Michigan and college basketball, where 'nothing's getting fixed'
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Part 2 of the mailbag, grading the roster construction of new high-major coaches: www.nytimes.com/athletic/741...
nytimes.com
Grading every new high-major college basketball coach’s roster: Who earned an A and who fell short? (Gift Article)
Did Michael Malone and North Carolina put together a good enough roster to be one of the top teams in college basketball?
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Mailbag: Which college hoops coaches will stay put through 2036, which coach would most fans be happy with winning a title and why the final AP Poll is pointless www.nytimes.com/athletic/741...
nytimes.com
College hoops mailbag: The coaches most likely to stay put through 2036
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
For our 90s series, a look back at the actual games played for the basketball scenes in Blue Chips and Nick Nolte’s time shadowing Bob Knight. Loved this movie as a kid. www.nytimes.com/athletic/740...
nytimes.com
The pickup games that made ‘Blue Chips’ the most authentic basketball movie ever (Gift Article)
The 1994 film featured Bob Knight coaching a real game against Shaq and Penny Hardaway, and no one wanted to lose.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Mailbag time. Drop your questions here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/740...
nytimes.com
Submit your questions for the college basketball mailbag
Dusty May leaves reigning national champions Michigan for the NBA. What else is on your mind?
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Mike Boynton has been interviewing with Michigan’s administration over the last week and is hoping to have interim tag removed. Talked to Boynton last night about his plan and a crazy last week. Story (free link): www.nytimes.com/athletic/740...
nytimes.com
Michigan's Mike Boynton pushing to replace Dusty May: 'Operating as if I'm going to be the coach'
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
One of the best draft stories is Keaton Wagler’s. Wrote about Keaton’s journey again this week and what others can learn from how his family navigated the process: www.nytimes.com/athletic/738...
nytimes.com
Keaton Wagler’s rise to the NBA Draft was rapid and unexpected, but it hasn’t changed him (Gift Article)
Wagler, No. 261 in his recruiting class, is the rare one-and-done freshman who didn’t set out with that as the goal.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
I’ll be on The Athletic’s NBA Draft show tonight during the draft for anyone interested in an alternative (or additional) broadcast: www.youtube.com/live/mLHyQlq...
youtube.com
NBA Draft LIVE STREAM | The Athletic Experts react to each draft pick
YouTube video by The Athletic NBA Daily
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Updated Top 25 with Kentucky added following the addition of Milan Momcilovic: www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...
nytimes.com
College basketball top 25 after NBA Draft deadline: Illinois or Florida at No. 1? (Gift Article)
College basketball rosters are now mostly set, and it’s time to provide a much clearer preseason Top 25 than the early April crapshoots.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
My new Top 25 with rosters mostly set now. I went slightly against what I’m assuming will be the consensus: www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...
nytimes.com
College basketball top 25 after NBA Draft deadline: Illinois or Florida at No. 1? (Gift Article)
College basketball rosters are now mostly set, and it’s time to provide a much clearer preseason Top 25 than the early April crapshoots.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Why Dusty May hired an assistant coach he’d never met before (Free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/731...
nytimes.com
Why Dusty May hired a coach working in Japan who he’s never met (Gift Article)
May has never met his new assistant coach Mody Maor, but said he wanted to "hire a coach who’s better than me."
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
A wide-ranging talk with Bill Self on roster building in this new era, how he built his 2026-27 roster, why the turnover and what kind of budget he was working with: www.nytimes.com/athletic/729...
nytimes.com
Why Bill Self let Kansas’ starters walk to rebuild around the No. 1 recruit (Gift Article)
Only five starters have ever transferred under Self in 23 years. This offseason, two starters left, but it was part of his strategy.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Why did Bill Self decide to return coaching? We talked through his decision recently. Free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/728...
nytimes.com
Why Bill Self, after visits with multiple doctors, returned to Kansas for a 24th season (Gift Article)
Self said the tail end of last season
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Her treatment is going great but it’s a tough road ahead. Hoping to give them reason to smile this week.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Steph is amazing and has been through so much through the years. Wrote about her and my buddy Tim a few years ago. Two of the best people I know. www.nytimes.com/athletic/155...
nytimes.com
(Published 2020)
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
If you don’t live in KC but want to be part of it, find a blood center near you and respond here with #TeamSteph so I can show her how many people gave in her honor.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
My friend Stephanie was diagnosed with leukemia 3 weeks ago and we’re holding a blood drive in her honor this week in KC. If you’re able to give, hope you’ll come through. donate.savealifenow.org/donor/umc/vi...
donate.savealifenow.org
Donor Portal - Community Blood Center
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Marquette was the only high-major program not to take a D1 transfer from 2022 through 2025. Shaka Smart finally took two this spring. We talked about why he did it. Free for all to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/728...
nytimes.com
Why Shaka Smart and Marquette dipped into the portal after 4 years without taking a transfer (Gift Article)
How Smart landed at that decision is not as cut and dried as it may seem. He says it wasn’t just about the results of a 12-20 season.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
Why the expanded NCAA Tournament makes a Cinderella story even less likely www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...
nytimes.com
Why the expanded NCAA Tournament makes a Cinderella story even less likely
A simulation run by The Athletic found that mid-majors would have seen their upset odds drop significantly under the new 76-team model.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Five portal fits I liked. (Free link) www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...
nytimes.com
Men’s college basketball transfer portal fits: 5 of the best pairings this offseason (Gift Article)
Winning the portal means finding players who fit a vision and role, and putting them in a system that pulls out their greatest strengths.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
The NCAA is trying to get out of the waiver business with a rule change that would give everyone five years to play five. I asked coaches what they think and what the best version of this looks like: www.nytimes.com/athletic/725...
nytimes.com
NCAA's 5-in-5 rule has basketball coaches' support — but will it fix eligibility chaos?
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
How do college basketball coaches feel about NCAA Tournament expansion? I called around this week to ask coaches at multiple levels: www.nytimes.com/athletic/724...
nytimes.com
College basketball coaches react to NCAA Tournament expansion, focus on how field should be picked (Gift Article)
"Cinderella is what helped make the tournament what it is," Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. "I hope we don't lose that piece of it."
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
A look at the biggest winners and losers of the offseason thus far: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...
nytimes.com
Who are the early winners and losers of the men's college basketball offseason?
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Agents are asking for money and most high-major teams have a bigger salary pool this year. But will all these deals get cleared? Is cheating back? This one is free for all: www.nytimes.com/athletic/719...
nytimes.com
What I'm hearing about the transfer portal: Building a contender may cost $10 million — at least
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
The Athletic’s transfer portal rankings are back. The list will continue to grow and grow and grow. Here’s our initial top 30: www.nytimes.com/athletic/718...
nytimes.com
Ranking the 30 best players in the men’s college basketball transfer portal
The transfer portal has never been more important for team building in today's game. Here are the best available players in 2026.
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Reposted by CJ Moore
The Athletic @theathletic.com · 07/04/2026
The rankings will be updated periodically until the start of the season, but this is a super-early look at who @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social thinks will be good. www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...
nytimes.com
2026 men’s college basketball too early Top 25: Where Duke, Michigan, UNC rank
Where does your team rank after season's end?
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
I asked Dusty May if I could walk back to the team hotel every time he left the stadium this week. Come along for the ride, including one final celebratory walk last night. Free link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...
nytimes.com
Stride for stride with Michigan's Dusty May on a late-night walk of champions
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
Illinois couldn’t make a shot last night. That was partly due to UConn’s defense, but another contributing factor was UConn’s unique offensive system. It takes your legs and is the special sauce to this dynastic run. Free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...
nytimes.com
How Dan Hurley’s UConn became inevitable in April: Huskies can win third title in 4 years (Gift Article)
"Wearing this jersey when you get later in this tournament," UConn coach Dan Hurley said, "becomes a benefit.”
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
David Mirkovic is hilarious. We asked the Illini for their best stories on the freshman forward. They delivered. Free link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...
nytimes.com
Meet David Mirkovic: Illinois' karaoke king and DJ who refuses to lose
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
We polled 51 coaches on what’s the best job of college basketball: www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...
nytimes.com
What’s the best job in men’s college basketball? Coaches say it’s Duke — then the field
We surveyed 51 head and assistant coaches in the sport, asking them: What are your top five jobs?
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
A YouTube video, a recommendation from an old friend and an old coach adapting to a changing game… let me take you through the moments that led Illinois to the Final Four (free link): www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...
nytimes.com
Illinois bet big on recruiting an international roster. It just paid off with a Final Four
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Ben McCollum is one of the most detailed-oriented coaches in his game preparation. I talked to McCollum and those who know him best about to what that looks like in the final 24 hours before a game. Free link: www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...
nytimes.com
Iowa's coach never stops looking for an edge — even at 3 a.m.: 'He's always up'
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
The story of Bennett Stirtz and Ben McCollum just keeps getting more absurd. Tried to put it in perspective last night. This one is free for all to read. www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...
nytimes.com
He still mows lawns in his hometown. He's also the star of the Elite Eight's biggest surprise
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
There were 22 high-major seniors this year who played all four (or five) years at one school. Eleven are still alive and three are at Purdue. Story on the value of staying (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...
nytimes.com
What makes Purdue a March Madness outlier? Retention in a world of movement (Gift Article)
Purdue has three starters who have been with the program four-plus years, a rarity in modern college basketball.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Column on Kentucky, the $22 million roster and the trouble with spending that much when the talent isn’t worth what it cost: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...
nytimes.com
Kentucky didn’t get money’s worth from $22M roster. It’s on Mark Pope to get more
The honeymoon is over. And soon Pope will be held to his words that at Kentucky the expectations are to have the best of everything.
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Reposted by CJ Moore
The Athletic @theathletic.com · 21/03/2026
Full story from @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...
nytimes.com
‘Does he care?’ The question followed Darryn Peterson all year. He answers now
Darryn Peterson's body struggled to cooperate this season. It turned a potential fairytale into a complex drama.
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Reposted by CJ Moore
The Athletic @theathletic.com · 21/03/2026
A “traumatic experience.” Eleven missed games. Constant stops and starts. Darryn Peterson’s freshman season hasn’t gone as planned. But his March moment is here.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Step into the film room with Purdue’s Braden Smith, who will become the NCAA’s all-time assist king today. Had a blast taking this trip back through Smith’s career with him (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...
nytimes.com
Braden Smith, college basketball’s soon-to-be assist king, relives his best dishes (Gift Article)
Smith is poised to break Bobby Hurley's career assist record Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Faith, fortune and a phenom: How BYU became a player in college basketball’s new era Story with Chris Kamrani. Free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...
nytimes.com
God, NIL and AJ Dybantsa: BYU's unlikely rise as a college basketball power
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CJ Moore @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
We haven’t really gotten to know Darryn Peterson or the details behind what’s been going on with his health this year. I got him to open up some about a visit to the hospital and set out on a mission to learn more about who he is. His story (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...
nytimes.com
‘Does he care?’ The question followed Darryn Peterson all year. He answers now (Gift Article)
Darryn Peterson's body struggled to cooperate this season. It turned a potential fairytale into a complex drama.
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