"Coming From Where I Came From Motivates Me To Play Basketball Everyday Because Without This Game, I Wouldn't Be Here Today"... The Devastating, Shocking, And Inspiring Story Of Xavier Moon

In life, everyone is tested one way or another, but it doesn’t define you; it’s how you handle it that does. Those words resonate with the CEBL champion and two time MVP, Xavier Moon, who had to work twice as hard to achieve everything that he has. In the modern-day, basketball fans know Moon as an icon, but his basketball journey is far greater than any skills he possesses. Moon’s journey to the game is inspirational as he has experienced various levels of adversity and uncertainty. However, where did his passion begin?

Born in Goodwater, Alabama, on January 2, 1995, Xavier Moon grew up in a small town that had less than 1000 residents! Even though he lived in a small area, his family was all that he needed. If he ever felt upset or needed advice, his family would always be there for him, which played a massive part in his basketball journey. However, the women in his life played the biggest role in his journey.

“Having my great-grandma, my grandma and my mother raise me was the best thing that could have happened to me. I was fortunate enough to have three strong black women raising me and making me into the man I am today, and I couldn’t thank them enough. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am today”. - Xavier Moon

From the beginning, Moon was gifted with positive role models, but his uncle Jamario Moon who is a former NBA player, inspired Xavier to play basketball from a young age.

“I started playing basketball at an early age in my life. Watching my uncle Jamario Moon play in the NBA inspired me to carry his legacy and is a big reason I fell in love with the game even though my pro career is just starting.” - Xavier Moon

“Having an uncle that has an elite level of pro experience is something I’m grateful for. One of the greatest memories I have is playing on the same team where I learned so much from him. I viewed him as a role model, and without him teaching me everything I know now, I wouldn’t be where I am at in my career today”. - Xavier Moon

From a young age, Xavier Moon understood the importance of family and what role they play in a person’s life. From the women in his life playing a massive role in him to his uncle Jamario Moon mentoring Xavier in basketball, Moon’s journey to the game originated from having a strong bond with his family. However, Moon would stumble upon various bumps in his journey that made him think that even making a college team would be unattainable. His small town that he grew up in had its pros and cons, and one of those cons was how his community lived their lives on a day to day basis. From drug dealing to unnecessary violence and shootings, Moon countless times had to visually experience other people’s pain and misery.

“Coming from where I come from is what motivates me every day to play professional basketball. My hometown has less than a thousand people, so seeing what my town has been through from violence to drugs over the years motivated me to play basketball and make a difference”. - Xavier Moon

“I saw everything from people shooting at each other to people dealing with drugs; I saw all forms of negativity and people not taking care of themselves. The people I went to school with it followed the same routine, and that’s something I didn’t want for myself. I took a different route, and I’m happy that I did because I would have been on the same path as the people in my community”. - Xavier Moon

Moon’s community dealt with detrimental adversity, but it never stopped him from reaching his dreams. Even though his area was small, he didn’t have the luxury of owning a vehicle, so instead of giving up, Moon would run every day to his local gym to work on his craft while working out to build his basketball physique. Instead of letting his situation define himself, he quickly realized that his actions define him and would use any form of negativity as motivation to get better. While his uncle was dunking on other NBA players, Xavier would workout and focus on his dreams and not follow what his community had planned for him. Eventually, his hard work would slowly unfold to success as he started to get better at his handles, shooting and speed. Xavier realized that he is a smaller guard, so he took inspiration from his hero Chris Paul and learned how to play with his strengths.

“Chris Paul is not just my favourite NBA player but is also someone I look up to. I have been a fan of Chris Paul since his Hornets days, and his game is what a natural point guard is. He has a lot of heart and passion, which I admire the most about him”. - Xavier Moon

Besides watching Chris Paul play, Xavier Moon focused on two aspects of his life: family and basketball. While other people took a different route, Moon was locked in on his dreams and, as a result, made his high school team where he would become the best basketball player his town has ever seen! From his slick passes to his incredible footwork, Moon was doing everything on the court as he started to realize that he could make it to the pros one day. His living situation in a small town would affect him as he felt that maybe his dream could never be attainable. However, as broken as Moon’s community was, they all understood and respected Moon’s goals and would encourage the young rising star what his potential is if he continues to work hard.

“Even though seeing my community at times felt devastating, I love and appreciate every single person in my hometown because they know who I am and support my journey to the NBA. Everyone in my community has helped me one way or another, and I will forever appreciate that”. - Xavier Moon

With his community’s liberation, Moon would defy his odds and reach the college level to represent Northwest Florida State College for two years and then transfer to Morehead State to become a full-time starter! In his senior year, Moon averaged 16 points, five assists, four rebounds, and almost 2 steal a game! Moon was the starting guard for his team and was having a great year until one day; he received a phone call from his uncle Jamario Moon that would devastate the young star.

“In my senior year in college, my stepfather was killed in a city and was killed by a white man because he didn’t want my stepfather to live across from him. When that happened, I was in school in Kentucky, and I got a call from my uncle Jamario, and he’s telling me that Clyde Wilson, who was the name of my stepfather, was killed. I was confused, and I needed to talk to someone, so I called my assistant coach, and I told him I need to talk to you, and he told me to come to the gym. I go to the gym, and I break down crying, and he keeps on asking what’s wrong, what’s wrong, and I tell him I’ll tell you in private. I told the head coach that I wanted to drive home, but he told me I couldn’t right away, but eventually, they allowed me. I came home after that, and even though he wasn’t my biological father, he was a father figure to my siblings and I. He made my mother the happiest I have ever seen her and I hope I can be half the man that he was. I learned so much from him; he always came to my games and tried his best to look out for me and be a father. Now everything that I do is for him, and my goal is to always be there for my family because losing a person like that will forever be devastating”. - Xavier Moon

Time and time again, Xavier Moon experienced setbacks throughout his life but losing his stepfather shifted his entire mentality. Moon reacted to this devastation by building himself up in the basketball community and his hometown. The murder of his stepfather was cruel and cowardly. Even though Moon was enraged and struggled to fight through the pain, he used this tragedy as motivation to honour his stepfather and dedicate every point, assist, steal, block, dunk and every other accolade to him. This fueled the young star and, as a result, would receive a contract to play in France, where he would embark on his journey to excellence.

The shift from college to overseas was intimidating for Moon but was an experience that he needed. For Moon, entering the pros was a wake-up call for him as he started to take basketball more seriously.

“In college, you stay in a dorm or an apartment and are always around your teammates. When entering the pros, you may go to practice and see your teammates, but that’s it. Some players are married and have kids, so when I first started in France, it was a wake-up call for me to say, ‘this is the real deal; it’s time to take this seriously.’ Playing in France was an eye-opener, and I learned so much from the older guys, and it was an incredible journey”. - Xavier Moon

Moon would quickly mature after his tenure in France and join the London Lightning, where he would make a name for himself. With a stat-line of 14 points, four assists, five rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, Moon would become an All-Star in just his first year in the NBLC. However, Moon would officially become a superstar in the CEBL, where he would average an astonishing 19 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals while becoming the first-ever CEBL MVP! His production on both teams managed to spark interest in the NBA G-League, where Moon would be invited to a workout to make the team. Unfortunately, Moon would be cut, but the experience of working out with an NBA G-League team changed his life and his production on the court as he would dominate in the following year of 2020!

As devastating as 2020 has been, Moon would become arguably the best basketball player for the CEBL and the NBLC as he would average career highs in both leagues. Even though the NBLC season was cut short due to COVID-19, Moon was confident that the London Lightning would have won the championship as they were the first-seed in the league while having the best chemistry on and off the court!

“We were more than ready. From training camps to actual practice, it prepared us to be title contenders. We were ready for the playoffs; hence why when the season shut-down, it devastated all of us”. - Xavier Moon

Even though Xavier Moon wasn’t able to finish what his team started, he managed to sustain that same level of energy to the CEBL, where he would once again be named the MVP while also leading the Edmonton Stingers to their first championship victory!

Moon’s start to his basketball journey was a bumpy road that was almost certain to prevent him from reaching his goals. However, his mentality and willingness to never let his situation define him fueled him to this level of success. Moon has accomplished a lot in his young career due to his mentality as he always found ways to win in losing situations. The lesson that can be learned about Moon’s story is, people or environments might hinder you from achieving greatness, but it never defines you. Your actions and willingness to break that barrier and change will forever define you, which defines Xavier Moon. He could have accepted his fate and fell into the violence and drugs that his community presented to him but broke that barrier and chose a more demanding route that would grant him great success in the basketball community. Not only did his circumstance encourage him to work hard, but it also made Moon the man he is today.

“I’m a normal guy. I feel like people get so caught up in being professionals, but enough people know that we’re just normal human beings. Yes, we do play professional basketball and are on TV, but I’m a normal guy. I try to be the friendliest person I can be, so don’t be intimidated by professional athletes because we are just as human as you. Approach me like how you would approach anyone else. I’m not Xavier Moon, the basketball player. I’m Xavier Moon, the human being that is just as equal as anyone else”. - Xavier Moon