MUNCIE, Ind. — Trey Moses became the latest Ball State basketball player to earn his first professional contract when he announced earlier this month he’d inked a deal with BC Beroe in Bulgaria.

Moses’ career with the Cardinals saw him earn a Mid-American Conference All-Defensive Team spot as a sophomore and All-MAC Third Team spot as a junior. He finished with a school record 132 games played. And he left Muncie with 1,138 career points, 905 career rebounds and 139 career blocks.

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The Louisville native opened up about his mental health journey in June, and this month spoke with the Star Press about how he found basketball, when he realized he could become a professional athlete and more.

How did you find basketball? How did that become the sport you’d devote your life to?

“My mom played basketball in high school but she was never the parent that pushed me to play sports, and it’s not in a bad way but my dad just put me in all these sports at a young age and really, growing up, I stuck with basketball and football. Those were the two I really played. And then going into high school I was just like, I don’t really want to play football. I think football is my favorite sport, probably, like I love to watch football and I love to do different things in regards to football. But, I don’t like — it’s way too cold or way too hot for me. I just like being in a nice gym. So, my dad was pretty much just like, ‘You have four years left, so if this is what you’re going to do you have to put your all into basketball.’ That’s what we did. We got in with a personal trainer and that’s where my game just developed more.”

When did you know you could be a professional basketball player? Was there a game? A practice? Something else?

“My freshman year I remember coach (James Whitford) telling me, ‘You have the chance to make money playing this game.’ And it’s not something I truly believed until I signed my contract, honestly. He’s told me, ever since I started producing as a freshman, because I don’t think anyone ever expected me to have the career I had outside of coach Whit and Ball State, the staff. I had it. From that (freshman year), he’s told me, ‘You have a chance to make money playing this game if that’s what you want to do.’ That’s what I’ve worked for. Even up until they offered the first contract I was just like, ‘Man, is somebody going to take a chance on me? What’s going to happen?’ I was just, like, scared that nobody would, even though knowing I’m good enough to play. So, long story short, I feel like it wasn’t up until I signed my contract, really.”

Why Bulgaria’s BC Beroe? What did that organization do for you to decide that’s where you wanted to take your career?

“There was a couple different reasons. We had a couple different teams. The first team was in England and they didn’t really offer but they were just interested. But, it just wasn’t enough money. But, at the time, I was just like, ‘I want it.’ And I think it was because it was so early on and no other teams were really interested at the time. I was ready to just jump the gun. But, my agent had told my parents first but I was on a four-way call with all three of them plus me and I remember my agent just was like, ‘This team in Bulgaria just offered and it’s a two-year deal.’ My mouth just dropped because I knew that a lot of rookies don’t get two-year deals, a lot of two or three-year guys don’t get two-year deals. I’m obviously from Louisville and Peyton Siva just got his first two-year deal with a team he’s been with. So, I know how hard it is to get a two-year deal and for me it’s just, like, security. If I don’t play as well as I want to and they get rid of me or want to get rid of me they have to do certain things. Or, if I play really good and I go to a better team we have to do different things. But, it’s a win-win situation no matter what for me and that puts me at ease a little more.”

Is the ultimate goal to reach the NBA? Or, are you happy with a long career in Europe or somewhere else?

“Honestly, I think everybody wants to make the NBA. But, I think there’s a lot of different things that have to happen for you to make the NBA, obviously. Everybody knows that. I would say that’s the goal but I’m not going to lie, like, I’m fine with being in Europe for the rest of my life or playing a long career somewhere else. I would say my ultimate goal is, I want to play in New Zealand. That’s a country that I loved and I loved being in. Their seasons are just so, kind of, weird. That’s a country — I got to go there last summer with Athletes in Action and I just loved it there. That’s something my agent and I have talked about but I’m excited to start in Bulgaria and if I stay two years I stay two years. I think I’m going to love it.”

After basketball, after your career is over, what do you want to do?

“My goal is to be a preschool teacher. I want to open up my own preschool for families under the poverty line. I got to do a paid internship with Head Start last semester and I just, like, fell in love with it. Pretty much, I was an assistant teacher. I got to have that role. If the lead teacher stepped out it was my classroom now. I got to do different changes in the classroom and have a voice. I kind of loved it. I just know that a lot of families don’t get to get in to Head Start because  they might barely be over the poverty line. There’s just so many families trying to get in there that they just don’t get in and can’t get accepted. I want to open up my own Head Start.”

Jordan Guskey covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high schools at the Star Press. Contact him at (765) 213-5813, [email protected] or @JordanGuskey.