SANFORD, FLA -- It's 7:15 a.m. The sun has barely been up an hour.
It's getting a late start compared to John Mooney. The former Lake Brantley and Notre Dame star is already hard at work on his game at the Boys and Girls Club.
"I'm just trying to focus on keeping my elbow up high," Mooney says working on his free throws.
His shooting touch from different spots on the floor is the focus of the workout. Mooney's game doesn't need adjusting, but he's finding ways to expand.
"I'm always looking to get better," he says. "That's the bottom line."
Most didn't do it better than the 6'9 power forward. The Longwood native averaged a steady 16.2 PPG and 12.7 RBG for the Fighting Irish this past season.
He led the nation with 25 double doubles.
“After the game on Twitter you see some of the stats or whatever but again I try not to pay too much attention to that stuff," Mooney said. "I love rebounding the ball on both ends of the floor.”
After earning First Team All-ACC honors and pacing Notre Dame to a 20-12 record, his senior season was cut short just before the NCAA Tournament due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think we had a really good shot, a big shot to make a run. Unfortunately our season was cut short," he said. "When you see your team trend up the right way and play their best at the end of the year, it’s disappointing to end.”
Now he's forced into doing what he does best; rebounding. Mooney is preparing for a professional career, specifically a long one in the NBA. With the combine and NBA Draft postponed, Mooney's making his pitch to all 30 teams.
“Certainly I’m a four-year guy. I bring experience to a team. A guy who’s one of the better rebounders in this draft. I don’t mean to toot my own horn but if you look at the stats and the film they’ll back that up.”
Until his name is called, Mooney can be found in the early hours of the morning working on his game.
If there's more questions about his game, here's what a team with John Mooney on it gets.
"A guy who wants to win. He'll do anything to win."