Jordan Goldwire
- Year: Freshman
- Height: 6-foot-2
- Position: Point guard
Game Breakdown
Coming out of high school as only a 3-star player, Goldwire wants to prove to the country that he deserves to share the court with the nation's top recruits. On a team that has plenty of height but is short on backcourt weapons, Goldwire could have the defensive skills to make an impact.
Goldwire's calling card is his defense—he plays with a high motor after his high school team frequently relied upon full-court presses. He has the chance to be a high-impact defender for Duke, especially late in games off the bench.
On offense, Goldwire is a passable outside shooter, but excels in his court vision and game around the basket. With a quick first step along with a quick shot release, Goldwire can score in a multitude of ways. Goldwire will be fighting for minutes on a talent-loaded team, and will need to give it his all and execute when he gets the opportunity.
Role on the team
Goldwire will come off the bench as the backup point guard, but a chance to crack the rotation behind Trevon Duval and earn significant minutes as a defense-first player and facilitator on offense. The 6-foot-2 could also act as a game manager for Duke’s second unit and take pressure off Duval, helping to keep the Blue Devil bench full of energy and absent of mental mistakes. Going head-to-head against the NBA-bound Duval every day at practice will only polish Goldwire’s perimeter defense, a skill needed by any team, but especially on a Blue Devil squad loaded with forwards and centers.
NBA comparison
Goldwire’s projected style of play most resembles NBA point guard Matthew Dellavedova; both players don’t necessarily take control of games, but on a good team, they both can call the shots for their respective teams’ second string effectively. Although Dellavedova and Goldwire lack in size, they can both make up for it by working harder than anyone else on the court with the minutes given to them. It is yet to be seen whether Goldwire will have as much fire and play as aggressively as Dellavedova does, but if Goldwire can match Dellvedova’s hustle, Goldwire too can become a player any championship team needs off the bench.
Projected statline
1.8 PPG, 1.2 APG, 0.9 RPG, 0.6 SPG
Stay tuned to the Blue Zone for our continuing player previews with freshman Alex O'Connell tomorrow.
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