Duke women's basketball 2019-20 player preview: Leaonna Odom

<p>Leaonna Odom, alongside Haley Gorecki, will be a key playmaker for the Blue Devils this season.</p>

Leaonna Odom, alongside Haley Gorecki, will be a key playmaker for the Blue Devils this season.

Leaonna Odom:

Year: Senior

Height: 6-foot-2

Position: Forward

Last Year’s statline: 13.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.5 AST

Game Breakdown: Odom comes into the 2019-2020 season as a candidate for the Katrina McClain Award for best power forward in the nation, and she needs just 12 points to reach one thousand for her career. 

Odom figures to be a volume scorer for the Blue Devils this season and is one of Duke’s most complete players, with a diverse offensive skillset that gives the California native the ability to play anywhere on the court. Odom can play off the dribble, shoot from outside and possesses an impressive repertoire of post moves. 

Along with her impressive offensive arsenal, the senior is a nightmare for opposing teams on both ends of the court. At 6-foot-2, she can take advantage of smaller defenders, and her quickness and finishing ability will allow Odom to take advantage of slower bigs. She has also shown the ability to make her teammates better too, as her assist averages have increased consistently over the last three seasons. 

Role on Team: Odom matches up well against every position except for center, giving head coach Joanne P. McCallie a plethora of ways to utilize her on the court. Because of her size and athleticism, Odom should start most games at either the three or four, but her skills as a playmaker make the senior a viable option to play significant minutes at the guard position.

Her 29 starts last season were a career high for Odom, and barring injury she should start every game this year. The Chaminade product’s skills as a facilitator perfectly complement teammate Haley Gorecki’s prolific scoring ability, and the two will be an extremely dynamic duo when on the floor together. Odom’s potential this season is through the roof, and she has all the tools to be one of the best players in the country and take home multiple awards.  

Projected Stat Line: 14.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.7 AST

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