With the college basketball season just around the corner, the time has officially come to take a deeper look at the 2021-22 Duke women's basketball roster. The Blue Zone has you covered with player previews for each member of the team. Be sure to check out the previous previews: Jiselle Havas, Emma Schmidt, Lee Volker, Amaya Finklea-Guity, Onome Akinbode-James, Nyah Green, Miela Goodchild, Shayeann Day-Wilson and Imani Lewis.
Lexi Gordon
Year: Graduate
Height: 6-foot
Position: Guard/Forward
2020-21 statline: 15.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 34.7 MPG
Game breakdown: As one of a handful of former five-star recruits turned 2021-22 Duke transfers, Lexi Gordon’s path to Durham has looked a little different than those of her teammates. After beginning her collegiate career at Connecticut, where she spent the better part of two seasons deep on the bench, the Texas native departed the Huskies midway through her sophomore season for a fresh start at Texas Tech. The change of scenery seemed to suit Gordon, who had a successful two-year career for the Red Raiders.
Above all, Gordon brings an impressive shooting pedigree to her third and final college team. As a true winger with a formidable six-foot frame, Gordon’s bag of tricks beyond the arc is both deep and polished at this point in her career. The fifth-year player ranked seventh in the Big 12 with 1.9 triples per game last season, and while her defense is nothing to write home about, she should have no problem carving out a role with the Blue Devils this winter.
Part of what makes Gordon such a dangerous shooter is her ability to operate in any situation, from her catch-and-shoot excellence to her highly intelligent movement off the ball. It makes her a fit for any roster and an especially fitting add for a Duke team in need of impact off-ball players like Gordon.
Role on the team: Gordon, who is rostered as a guard/forward for the Blue Devils, should provide some lineup malleability for head coach Kara Lawson this season. At six feet, Gordon could realistically play at any position from the two to the four, but her best fit on the roster is at small forward. Her frame remains an asset at the position, and it should set her up for ample three-point shooting opportunities.
Whether Gordon winds up in the starting lineup is another question, as the starting small forward spot likely comes down to either her or Louisville transfer Elizabeth Balogun. Regardless, Gordon is set to see significant minutes in any case, and it’s safe to pencil her in as a key contributor from the very start.
Projected statline: 10.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 24 MPG
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Jonathan Levitan is a Trinity senior and was previously sports editor of The Chronicle's 118th volume.