Welcome to Duke, Kara Lawson!

[heyman25]

Jiselle Havas 5'10 guard Pratt Engineering undergraduate
https://goduke.com/news/2020/9/23/ha...ll-roster.aspx

[jimsumner]

Jiselle Havas 5'10 guard Pratt Engineering undergraduate
https://goduke.com/news/2020/9/23/ha...ll-roster.aspx

With Jayda Adams out she's a useful practice player.

[Rudy]

[Azzi Fudd’s] mother, Katie Smrcka-Duffy, was an All Met (probably player of the year but my memory is a little hazy) in the DC area and played at Madison High School, which competed against Kara's. I cannot recall if she and Kara competed against each other but I am confident they are acquaintances if not friends. [Katie preceded Kara by 4 years so they missed by one year.] As a freshman at NC State, Smrcka-Duffy was ACC Rookie of the Year and honorable mention all-ACC. She transferred to Georgetown and led the Big East in scoring as a sophomore and junior, and was a second-team all-Big East selection as a sophomore, junior, and senior. She was drafted by the Sacramento Monarchs but was plagued by injuries.

Katie was also a two-time AP Virginia Player of the Year and USA Today National Player of the Year as a junior and senior. One year she averaged 30.4 points per game. Fudd’s father was a very good player for American U.

I saw Katie, Kara, Jasmine Thomas and Azzi Fudd play in high school in northern Virginia. Katie was most dynamic scorer of them all, with speed and wow could she shoot. Kind of reminded me of Pete Maravich. Azzi is a more complete player, sort of like Oscar Robertson with a better shooting range. Kara was a fabulous player, too, more in the classic point guard role, making everyone better but being able to run and score. I haven’t seen Fudd play since she recovered from her ACL/MCL reconstruction surgery last year. Nevertheless, she can likely go anywhere she wants. I expect she’ll go to one of the existing top tier teams, And Duke isn’t there yet.

[killerleft]

Katie was also a two-time AP Virginia Player of the Year and USA Today National Player of the Year as a junior and senior. One year she averaged 30.4 points per game. Fudd’s father was a very good player for American U.

I saw Katie, Kara, Jasmine Thomas and Azzi Fudd play in high school in northern Virginia. Katie was most dynamic scorer of them all, with speed and wow could she shoot. Kind of reminded me of Pete Maravich. Azzi is a more complete player, sort of like Oscar Robertson with a better shooting range. Kara was a fabulous player, too, more in the classic point guard role, making everyone better but being able to run and score. I haven’t seen Fudd play since she recovered from her ACL/MCL reconstruction surgery last year. Nevertheless, she can likely go anywhere she wants. I expect she’ll go to one of the existing top tier teams, And Duke isn’t there yet.

We've all been been heaping praise on Kara Lawson, and you seem to be discounting our chances of landing big prospects. Without some of these top prospects, freshman Head Coach Lawson will have a tough time, indeed.

[jimsumner]

We've all been been heaping praise on Kara Lawson, and you seem to be discounting our chances of landing big prospects. Without some of these top prospects, freshman Head Coach Lawson will have a tough time, indeed.

Duke has ground to make up with Fudd. They are trying to make it up. But I likewise fear that time may run out on this one.

[killerleft]

Duke has ground to make up with Fudd. They are trying to make it up. But I likewise fear that time may run out on this one.

You are probably right, Jim. But I was really responding to the general nature of the post, which seemed to be discounting Duke because we aren't a "top-tier" program yet. We sure won't become one with that attitude.

[jimsumner]

You are probably right, Jim. But I was really responding to the general nature of the post, which seemed to be discounting Duke because we aren't a "top-tier" program yet. We sure won't become one with that attitude.

Lawson is recruiting with the mindset that Duke University and its women's basketball programs are very desirable landing spots. It's probably too late for this to have much of an impact in the class of 2021, most of which has already been locked up. But she's not conceding anything in the 2022 class and is laying the groundwork for classes beyond that.

[heyman25]

Duke Basketball Report should apologize for treating Women's Basketball like it is an after thought.Glad they realize they have been behind in coverage,

[budwom]

Duke Basketball Report should apologize for treating Women's Basketball like it is an after thought.Glad they realize they have been behind in coverage,

Not to kick off a debate, but the pre-Lawson regime turned off SO many fans that there's a reason for that. Just look at attendance the last few years (or the lack of attendance).

[sagegrouse]

Duke Basketball Report should apologize for treating Women's Basketball like it is an after thought.Glad they realize they have been behind in coverage,

Guilt trip? You sound like my first wife.

[Rudy]

You are probably right, Jim. But I was really responding to the general nature of the post, which seemed to be discounting Duke because we aren't a "top-tier" program yet. We sure won't become one with that attitude.

I'm a big fan of Duke Women's BB, hope they do well and expect Lawson will raise its profile. But here's the reality of who is top-tier:

Final Four and Elite 8 appearances in the last 15 years:

1 UConn FF 12 EE 2
2 Stanford 6-4
3 Notre Dame 7-1
4 U Tennessee 3-4

Duke is 1-5, arguably on par with U Maryland at 3-3. Of course, Duke has a lot of advantages as a place to attend college, not the least its academic standing with which only Stanford compares (and that's the other coast from home for Fudd).

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_D...ol_and_by_year

[jimsumner]

I'm a big fan of Duke Women's BB, hope they do well and expect Lawson will raise its profile. But here's the reality of who is top-tier:

Final Four and Elite 8 appearances in the last 15 years:

1 UConn FF 12 EE 2
2 Stanford 6-4
3 Notre Dame 7-1
4 U Tennessee 3-4

Duke is 1-5, arguably on par with U Maryland at 3-3. Of course, Duke has a lot of advantages as a place to attend college, not the least its academic standing with which only Stanford compares (and that's the other coast from home for Fudd).

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_D...ol_and_by_year

Gee, if only Duke could do something to change that narrative.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Gee, if only Duke could do something to change that narrative.

We should spend a few pages talking about how great Coach G was.

[peloton]

We should spend a few pages talking about how great Coach G was.

I know you're joking, but let's don't. In the words of the immensely talented Joni Mitchell, "Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got til its gone."

To be clear though - I am again very excited about women's basketball and hopefully Ms Lawson can restore the luster to this proud program.

[Phredd3]

We should spend a few pages talking about how great Coach G was.

Apparently, I have to share the wealth, but that one got me.


(And just no. Enough already.)