With established chemistry on the court and a strong friendship off the court, two highly-touted freshman moved across the country together with hopes of guiding Duke to its first national championship.
Top recruits Kendall McCravey-Cooper and Oderah Chidom arrived at Duke during the summer and have been working hard, adjusting to playing the game at the next level and finding roles on one of the nation's best squads.
“Right now, the team is really good, and I am just learning from all of the players,” Chidom said. “All of the things I am learning from the upperclassmen are just amazing.”
Although the two are easing into life at Duke, they do not have to become familiar with each other.
Chidom and McCravey-Cooper, who are both California natives, garnered McDonald's All-America accolades in high school. Even though they hail from different parts of the Golden State, the game of basketball has helped build a strong relationship between the two 6-foot-4 forwards.
In their last two years of high school, the two played on California Storm Team Taurasi, one of the nation’s top women’s travel teams. They followed in the footsteps of current Blue Devil senior guard and two-time All-American Chelsea Gray, who also played for the Storm in high school.
“On the court, we just read each other really well,” Chidom said. “We have a chemistry that is already established.”
But as their relationship on the court solidified, McCravey-Cooper and Chidom became better friends off the court, and the two decided to attend Duke together.
“She is my best friend, my sister,” McCravey-Cooper said. “A lot of people say that, but she is really something special to me.”
The two made the transition to Duke this summer and have been adjusting to playing the game at the next level. It has been a smooth transition so far for the new Blue Devils, but there is still a lot of work to be done before the team opens the season Nov. 10 in their home state of California.
Both players admit that going through strength and conditioning has been the biggest change, admitting that their high school teams did not emphasize hitting the weight room as much Duke does.
The style of play is also different, as players at the collegiate level are much taller, bigger and faster. But the team’s youngest players are pushing forward, with Chidom awarded the Iron Blue Devil Belt for her outstanding performance in offseason workouts.
“Coming from high school, we did not do weights or anything like that,” McCravey-Cooper said. “I came from a high school where all of the girls were 5-foot-8 or shorter, so I think playing with girls my height and my size is going to help a lot.”
She also adds that playing with veteran post players Elizabeth Williams and Haley Peters has helped her improve game and ease transition onto the team. Compared to their older teammates, the team’s youngest players had more time to practice with the already-established squad this summer, as new NCAA regulations allowed for extra practice time.
All of this has propelled the freshman twin towers off to a solid start. Through the team’s first two exhibition games, McCravey-Cooper is averaging 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Chidom, who had a breakout 17-point performance against Coker College, is averaging 13 points and 4.5 rebounds.
“We are really impressed with the transition they have made. Kendall [McCravey-Cooper] and Oderah Chidom have really blended in beautifully with the team,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “They are playing very hard and improving every day.”
There is no better way for Chidom and McCravey-Cooper to open the season than playing back where it all started in their home state—for Chidom, just 10 minutes from her hometown.
“My entire high school [team] will be there, my entire family will be there, so it will be fun to see a Duke cheering section, ” Chidom said.
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