2018-19 Duke Women's BB

[jimsumner]

Jackson came into to Duke and was not a top ten player on the court, even before the surgery. But you are right about Henson.

Jackson's best season was her sophomore season, in which she averaged 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field for a balanced 27-6 team that also included Chelsea Gray, Elizabeth Williams, Haley Peters, Tricia Liston, Shay Selby and Allison Vernerey, none of whom averaged more than 14 ppg.

This 2012 team won the ACC regular season and advanced to the Elite Eight, where they lost to Stanford.


Jackson never regained her pre-ACL surgery quickness or lift and never duplicated those 2012 stats.

As I said, injury interrupted her career arc. We have no idea how good she would have been had she stayed healthy.

[loran16]

"I've always been adamant about doing things beyond the game of basketball but at some point staying within it. I'm humbled that everyone thinks that I have the potential to move on, but I've always said that I will not take a coaching job unless it's at Duke, because Duke has a special place in my heart." -- Alana Beard

https://twitter.com/TheIXNewsletter/...16054767882240
https://theix.substack.com/p/the-ix-...wednesday-with

Yes, I would love to have the greatest duke WBB player of all time back as a coach. Even without experience at this point. Ah, pipe dreams.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Yes, I would love to have the greatest duke WBB player of all time back as a coach. Even without experience at this point. Ah, pipe dreams.

I vote Beard comes as an assistant to HC Joy Cheek.

[Ky-Dukie]

I agree, it's time to move on.

[53n206]

I vote Beard comes as an assistant to HC Joy Cheek.

Could this really happen?

[AustinDevil]

Depends on what you consider "lower ranked." For example, Azura Stevens was the #23 recruit her senior year of high school and under Coach P became an All American. Tricia Liston was #33; Erin Mathias was #39; Haley Gorecki was #52. All were/are "significant key players." And that's just off the top of my head.

I would like to respectfully call shenanigans on the fact that, in answering the question "[w]hen was the last time McCallie developed a lower ranked player into a significant key player?", you included Azura Stevens (!!) as an example. For multiple reasons, actually.

[ehdg]

I'd really like to know when our AD Kevin White will finally decide it's time to cut bait and move on from Coach P? I've become so disinterested and tired of her coaching that I've totally stopped following and keeping up with Duke Football. This is a first for me. I never felt this way about our Football program even going through the years with Coach Goldsmith, Franks and then Roof. Though I did get kind of close during Franks tenure of throwing in the towel. But Coach P has taken it to a whole new level of apathy for me. I still can't believe that our AD stuck with her after the investigation. I thought back then for sure everyone was ready for a change!!

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I'd really like to know when our AD Kevin White will finally decide it's time to cut bait and move on from Coach P? I've become so disinterested and tired of her coaching that I've totally stopped following and keeping up with Duke Football. This is a first for me. I never felt this way about our Football program even going through the years with Coach Goldsmith, Franks and then Roof. Though I did get kind of close during Franks tenure of throwing in the towel. But Coach P has taken it to a whole new level of apathy for me. I still can't believe that our AD stuck with her after the investigation. I thought back then for sure everyone was ready for a change!!

Uh, what am I missing????? Is there some kind of inside DBR joke about women's basketball and Duke FB?

[Kedsy]

I would like to respectfully call shenanigans on the fact that, in answering the question "[w]hen was the last time McCallie developed a lower ranked player into a significant key player?", you included Azura Stevens (!!) as an example. For multiple reasons, actually.

Considering that the question came two (2) posts after someone listed our recruits for next year, including two women ranked (by one service) as #23 and #24 (exactly where Azura was ranked), I thought it was appropriate. Call all the shenanigans you wish.

[AustinDevil]

Considering that the question came two (2) posts after someone listed our recruits for next year, including two women ranked (by one service) as #23 and #24 (exactly where Azura was ranked), I thought it was appropriate. Call all the shenanigans you wish.

Yes, Azura's high ranking disqualifies her as an answer to the good-faith question of exactly whom McCallie has coached up from diamond-in-the-rough status. And you ignored the other half of the question, but my goodness, her decision to transfer expressly on the grounds of Duke not developing her as a player is just as disqualifying.

No, next year's rankings have nothing to do with these facts, or with the price of tea anywhere on the planet.

[uh_no]

but my goodness, her decision to transfer expressly on the grounds of Duke not developing her as a player is just as disqualifying.

That may be part of it...but I also thing the opportunity to play for/win a title was part of it...obviously that didn't work out as well as I certainly would have hoped and then she bolted for the pros.

Whichever the more compelling reason, she didn't find what she was looking for here, I hope she found something of that at connecticut, and wish her luck in the pros.

[killerleft]

Yes, Azura's high ranking disqualifies her as an answer to the good-faith question of exactly whom McCallie has coached up from diamond-in-the-rough status. And you ignored the other half of the question, but my goodness, her decision to transfer expressly on the grounds of Duke not developing her as a player is just as disqualifying.

No, next year's rankings have nothing to do with these facts, or with the price of tea anywhere on the planet.

Perhaps Azura left UCONN with another year of eligibility left because Geno couldn't coach her up, either. Or the whole thing was about "branding", and the big shoe contract. Wonder if Geno would take her again? Her presence didn't translate into another championship for UCONN.

[Kedsy]

Yes, Azura's high ranking disqualifies her as an answer to the good-faith question of exactly whom McCallie has coached up from diamond-in-the-rough status. And you ignored the other half of the question, but my goodness, her decision to transfer expressly on the grounds of Duke not developing her as a player is just as disqualifying.

No, next year's rankings have nothing to do with these facts, or with the price of tea anywhere on the planet.

(a) Did I miss the rule that says to respond to a post you have to respond to every question in the post?

(b) When the post in question specifically said, "Consider me pretty pessimistic for the future based on the answers to the above questions," in response to a post listing next year's rankings of our recruits, I completely disagree with your assessment of the relevance of next year's rankings;

(c) Just because Azura said something, it doesn't preclude me from opining that her going from middling prospect to Honorable Mention All America under P's tutelage is evidence of development;

(d) Personally, I don't believe the initial question was in good faith, considering Haley Gorecki was a "lower ranked player" and is currently a "significant key player";

(e) I explained my rationale and acknowledged your right to call whatever shenanigans pleased you. What's your problem?

[AustinDevil]

Perhaps Azura left UCONN with another year of eligibility left because Geno couldn't coach her up, either. Or the whole thing was about "branding", and the big shoe contract. Wonder if Geno would take her again? Her presence didn't translate into another championship for UCONN.

All interesting speculation, much of it irrelevant to Coach P and Duke, but speculation is not needed when the player in question literally says that her transfer from Duke is "all about my player development."

[CamrnCrz1974]

Jackson's best season was her sophomore season, in which she averaged 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field for a balanced 27-6 team that also included Chelsea Gray, Elizabeth Williams, Haley Peters, Tricia Liston, Shay Selby and Allison Vernerey, none of whom averaged more than 14 ppg.

This 2012 team won the ACC regular season and advanced to the Elite Eight, where they lost to Stanford.


Jackson never regained her pre-ACL surgery quickness or lift and never duplicated those 2012 stats.

As I said, injury interrupted her career arc. We have no idea how good she would have been had she stayed healthy.

Except she also lost her ability to shoot, ACL aside. She had more talent than just being athletic, and it never developed. Injuries are part of it, but they are not an explanation for all of it.

[CamrnCrz1974]

(c) Just because Azura said something, it doesn't preclude me from opining that her going from middling prospect to Honorable Mention All America under P's tutelage is evidence of development;

Side issue/point...

Twenty-four players are selected each year to play in the the McDonald's All-America game. Given the ranking of #23 that you cited, I would not call Azura Stevens a "middling" prospect.

I still say that in response to the question of which players were lower ranked and who developed the most under Coach P and turned into "significant" players, Haley Gorecki and Tricia Liston are the two best examples.

[golfinesquire]

All interesting speculation, much of it irrelevant to Coach P and Duke, but speculation is not needed when the player in question literally says that her transfer from Duke is "all about my player development."

YEs and no. Athletes like human beings in general are not always the best gauge of their potential and talent. Given what happened at UConn, that might have been the case here.

[AustinDevil]

(a) Did I miss the rule that says to respond to a post you have to respond to every question in the post?

(b) When the post in question specifically said, "Consider me pretty pessimistic for the future based on the answers to the above questions," in response to a post listing next year's rankings of our recruits, I completely disagree with your assessment of the relevance of next year's rankings;

(c) Just because Azura said something, it doesn't preclude me from opining that her going from middling prospect to Honorable Mention All America under P's tutelage is evidence of development;

(d) Personally, I don't believe the initial question was in good faith, considering Haley Gorecki was a "lower ranked player" and is currently a "significant key player";

(e) I explained my rationale and acknowledged your right to call whatever shenanigans pleased you. What's your problem?

We just have to disagree, I think, about whether the ESPN #23 player is a "middling prospect," whether her being named one of the 35 or so top players a couple of years later is a good example of Coach P developing said "middling prospect," and whether the player in question transferring precisely on player-development grounds is relevant.

[AustinDevil]

Side issue/point...

Twenty-four players are selected each year to play in the the McDonald's All-America game. Given the ranking of #23 that you cited, I would not call Azura Stevens a "middling" prospect.

I still say that in response to the question of which players were lower ranked and who developed the most under Coach P and turned into "significant" players, Haley Gorecki and Tricia Liston are the two best examples.

I definitely would not argue that P hasn't developed any prospects into valuable contributors, those two included.

[Kedsy]

All interesting speculation, much of it irrelevant to Coach P and Duke, but speculation is not needed when the player in question literally says that her transfer from Duke is "all about my player development."

Players who transfer almost by definition have a grudge, sometimes justified, sometimes not. I'm not sure it makes sense to put so much stock in what they "literally say" to preclude all other explanations or speculation.

When Semi Ojeleye said Coach K's ego is so big it can't be measured, did you take it as gospel or with a grain of salt?

Side issue/point...

Twenty-four players are selected each year to play in the the McDonald's All-America game. Given the ranking of #23 that you cited, I would not call Azura Stevens a "middling" prospect.

I still say that in response to the question of which players were lower ranked and who developed the most under Coach P and turned into "significant" players, Haley Gorecki and Tricia Liston are the two best examples.

You may be right, I'm not sure. My observation has been that in women's high school hoops, after the first 10 or so, there's a huge dropoff and not a great deal to distinguish, e.g., #25 from #55. But I could be wrong about that.