Cunningham, Moreland Set For NBA Season
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Former Oregon State men’s basketball standouts Jared Cunningham and Eric Moreland are excited as anyone for the beginning of the 2014-15 NBA season. Cunningham, who is entering his third season in the league, will suit up for the Los Angeles Clippers and Moreland will play his rookie campaign with the Sacramento Kings.
“Being on a team that fits my style of play is great because they get up and down the floor,” Cunningham said. “I’m very excited about being part of something new. Learning and guarding Chris Paul every day in practice, who is one of the best point guards in the NBA, is very beneficial for me. Having a coach that has won a championship is also great because he can lead us on that path. The ultimate goal as a player is to win a championship, and I feel playing for the Clippers gives me the best opportunity.”
“It’s been one hell of a roller coaster,” Moreland said. “But I will continue to keep working just like I did to get here so I can help the team when it is time for me to get out there when my name is called upon. It should be an exciting season and I can’t wait for my opportunity.”
Moreland signed a contract with Sacramento in late July and Cunningham signed a deal with Los Angeles in mid-September. Cunningham will wear No. 9 for the Clippers and Moreland will don No. 25 for the Kings.
Sacramento opens its season Wednesday against Golden State; Los Angeles on Thursday against Oklahoma City. The Clippers and Kings face each other for the first time this season at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
It’s the first time two Oregon State players have been in the NBA at the same time since 2006-07, when Gary Payton played his final season with the Miami Heat and Brent Barry helped the San Antonio Spurs win the NBA title. Payton got his championship ring with the Heat in 2006 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2013. Barry also helped the Spurs win an NBA championship in 2005.
Cunningham and Moreland both helped the Sacramento Kings win the 2014 NBA Summer League Championship this past summer. The event featured a tournament-style schedule, with 24 teams competing for the NBA Summer League Championship at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion at UNLV. The Kings went 2-1 during the three preliminary games before knocking off Minnesota, Chicago, Washington and Houston to claim the title.
Cunningham averaged 6.8 points, while shooting 40.7 percent from the field, 1.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 steals In his five Summer League games. Moreland averaged 3.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots per game and pulled down double-figure boards in three of his six contests.
It’s not surprise to Oregon State fans that Cunningham and Moreland are enjoying success at the next level. Both of them left their mark during their time in Corvallis.
Cunningham is entering his third year in the NBA after being selected as the 24th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He declared for the draft after his junior season and concluded his three-year Oregon State career 13th in career scoring (1,271), second in steals (219), third in free throws made (427) and fifth in free throws attempted (566). He was a first-team Pac-12 all-star as a junior and a second-team all-star as a sophomore. He made the Pac-12 All-Defensive and All-Tournament teams two times each.
The Oakland, Calif., native holds 11 school records, including most steals as a junior (91, tied with Gary Payton), most steals as a sophomore (85), most steals in a game (8, tied with Brent Barry and Seth Tarver) and most minutes played in a season (1,245).
Moreland, who left Oregon State after his junior season, is OSU’s career leader in blocked shots (184) and blocked shots average (2.07). He is fifth all-time in rebounds (762) and sixth in rebounding average (8.6). He was selected Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention two times and was named Pac-12 Player of the Week during his sophomore season. The Houston, Texas, native holds the Oregon State season records for blocked shots (73) and blocked shots average (2.52) and tied the Oregon State single-game blocked shots record with six in two different games.