From Utah to KFC in Sacramento

Mikki Moore didn’t spend a long time in Utah.
But throughout the 28 games he did play for the Jazz late in the 2003-04 season, the career journeyman came across as someone willing to do whatever it took to stay in the NBA.
And now that he’s lasted, rewarded not long ago with a financial-security-forever deal from Sacramento, he remains eternally grateful to everyone in the Jazz organization during his time with the team that saved him from the D-League.
The lanky 7-footer makes a point to say hello to head coach Jerry Sloan whenever he gets a chance, and even ran over to Sloan from the Kings bench moments before tipoff of a game earlier this season ‘ saying as he did that he wasn’t starting that night, but just wanted to say hi anyway.
And now, according to a newspaper, Moore has become an ‘unofficial spokesman for frustrated fans” in Sacramento.
He’s even questioned the heart of some Kings teammates in a town where the Sacramento Bee also reported that ex-Jazz player/assistant coach Kenny Natt has had to assess at least five fines for players late to practice since he was named to replace fired head coach Reggie Theus on an interim basis just last Dec. 15.
‘Nobody’s fired up,” Moore told the Bee earlier this week. ‘I try to get people fired up, but it’s hard to get people fired up if you just don’t have enough heart to go out there and compete. That’s something you can’t teach.
‘There’s how many people in the world, 10 billion? And there’s only 300 people in the NBA,” Moore added. ‘Wouldn’t you have enough pride to go out there and compete? (I’m) not even saying (how) you’re getting paid to do it, that it’s your job, that’s your 9-to-5, (that) you get a check for this. You could be on the corner slinging dope or at KFC working a drive-thru or the post office. (I’m) not even saying that. Wouldn’t you have enough pride to say, ‘Well, I’m one of the 300 people who’s in the NBA,’ and go out there and compete for your recognition? That’s how I feel about it.”
Though he probably never dropped the line about ‘slinging dope,” that sounds suspiciously similar to what a certain head coach in Utah might have said during Moore’s time with the Jazz, now doesn’t it?

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