matt mooney

Matthew Marren Mooney, born on February 7, 1995, in Chicago, Illinois, began his basketball journey by commuting two hours to attend Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, Illinois. Despite being lightly recruited, he received two college offers and initially committed to Air Force for the 2014-15 season. During his freshman year, Mooney averaged 6.9 points per game. He later transferred to South Dakota, where, after sitting out a season due to transfer rules, he significantly elevated his game. From 2016 to 2018, Mooney consistently performed, earning First-team All-Summit League honors twice and being named Summit League Transfer of the Year in 2017. He showcased his scoring ability with averages of 18.6 and 18.7 points per game in his sophomore and junior years, respectively.

Mooney continued his collegiate career as a graduate transfer at Texas Tech for the 2018-19 season. Here, he played a crucial role in leading the Red Raiders to their first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance. His performance during this period included an average of 11.3 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He earned multiple accolades, such as Second-team All-Big 12, Big 12 All-Defensive Team, Big 12 All-Newcomer Team, and NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team honors. These achievements marked a significant turning point in his career, establishing him as a prominent player.

Following his impactful collegiate career, Mooney went undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft but quickly embarked on a professional path. He started with the Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League before signing a two-way contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2020, making his NBA debut. His professional journey has since taken him through various teams and leagues, including Raptors 905, Mexico City Capitanes, New York Knicks, Unicaja (Spain), Niners Chemnitz (Germany), Beşiktaş (Turkey), Darüşşafaka (Turkey), Samsunspor (Turkey), Dolomiti Energia Trento (Italy), and most recently, the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL. This progression highlights his ability to adapt and contribute to different basketball environments globally.