When people first hear that E'Twaun Moore is a native of the city of East Chicago, they sometimes think he's a native of Illinois, but his hometown is actually located just across the state border in Indiana. Moore was a high school basketball star who ended up staying in-state for college, playing for the Purdue Boilermakers. When he joined New Orleans as a free agent in early July, it meant the first time that he will be residing in the South. The 27-year-old sat down with Pelicans.com to discuss his background and some of his interests away from basketball:
Best moment as an athlete: “When I was in high school, we won a state championship. That was big, not just for me, but for my city of East Chicago (Ind.).”
How he chose his current uniform number of 55: “I was the 55th pick in the draft, so it gives me a little motivation. Of course, I wanted to go higher than that. It helps me remember that.”
One thing fans might be surprised to know about him: “I'm a good cook.”
Favorite thing about New Orleans: “The good food. Everywhere you go, you are going to eat well. I love seafood, which is my favorite. The charbroiled oysters they have here caught me off guard. They are really good.”
Pregame ritual: “I like to listen to slow music, R&B, to calm me down and help me think the game through. That's always worked for me.”
Favorite athlete as a kid: “I really liked football growing up. Jerry Rice in the mid-1990s was one of my favorites.”
What he'd be doing if he weren't an NBA player: “I'd be in the corporate world, being a business manager or working in real estate.”
Closest friends currently playing on other NBA teams or in other pro sports: “One of my best friends, who grew up right across the street from me in East Chicago, is Kawann Short, a defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers. We were best buddies, the same age, won a state championship in high school and both went to Purdue. I've known him since we were 4 or 5 years old. In the NBA, two of my closest friends are (former Orlando teammates) Kyle O'Quinn and Maurice Harkless.”
Favorite types of music: “I love hip-hop and rap. I like R&B too, slow jams, R. Kelly and Trey Songz.”
Favorite TV show: “Martin is a classic – you can never go wrong with that show and it's something I always watch.”
Favorite movie of all time: “Hardball. I always liked it and remember seeing it when I was in sixth grade. It was a cool movie about kids playing sports.”
Favorite website: “Livemixtapes.com is where I download music.”
