In football, the saying is that if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none.
Nothing could be further from the truth for Duke this year. In Chelsea Gray and Alexis Jones, the Blue Devils have two decorated point guards who are both more than capable of quarterbacking the team to victory.
Gray, a senior, is a two-time All-American who is returning from a knee injury that cost her the final portion of last season. During her absence, Jones, now a sophomore, picked up the slack, earning the ACC tournament MVP and leading the team on its NCAA tournament run to the Elite Eight.
After her devastating injury, Gray made the transition from being the star point guard and running the offense to essentially being another coach. She was constantly advising Jones and helping her to improve both the mental and physical parts of her game. Gray made great efforts to ensure that Jones was on the same page as the coaching staff, showing her the nuances of how the system is run.
“After I went down I just kept talking to [Alexis], and her and Tricia [Liston] did an amazing job of leading the team from the guard perspective,” Gray said. “She was able to speak up a little more and was on the same page with coach a little more. She knew what to call on offense, and I was really proud of her in that respect.”
Being taken under Gray's wing paid dividends for Jones. After Gray went down with her injury last year, Jones averaged 13.8 points, 6.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game—all significant increases from her early-season numbers. This year, Duke's dynamic duo will have the chance to complement each other in a high-powered offense that features Liston, Elizabeth Williams and Haley Peters.
With Gray already established as an elite point guard and Jones poised to take that next step in her game, the Blue Devils will feature a starting backcourt that rivals any other in the nation.
“Chelsea and Alexis have a great opportunity to be two of the best guards in the country,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “But that opportunity rests with their ability to play off each other, not their ability to one-up each other. If they play off each other and really appreciate each other’s skill sets, then you’re talking about a fantastic combo.”
The beauty of the Gray-Jones dynamic is that their playing styles naturally complement each other—neither has to make major sacrifices in their game to accommodate the other. Gray is a do-it-all player who McCallie called the most versatile guard in the country. Gray is just as adept at posting up and playing off the ball as she is dishing out assists and taking opponents off the dribble.
Jones’ strengths are her speed and athleticism. The lefty excels when she is out in transition, something that McCallie said she wants to see her team do more of this year. This up-tempo style of plays right into Jones’ hands and should take some of the pressure off Gray until she fully gets her legs back under her again.
Rather than worry about how the team will adjust to Gray's return after an extended absence, the Blue Devils are excited about the unique opportunity that they have in front of them. Most college teams are lucky to have one quality point guard who can create opportunities for themselves and their teammates. Duke is fortunate enough to have two this year, and McCallie loves the relationship that has developed between them.
“I don’t have any doubt that Chelsea can mentor Alexis, and Alexis can show Chelsea some things that she’s developed,” McCallie said. “More than that, they can just play off each other and make it special. That’s something we’re really looking forward to.”
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