Kendall Cooper
- Year: Senior
- Height: 6-foot-4
- Position: Forward/Center
- Statline: 3.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.2 BPG
Game Breakdown: Cooper has slowly expanded her game since stepping on campus. She is still very much a prototypical post player who can be expected to score on the block, but she has added a jump shot to help draw defenders out. The Carson, Calif., native has seen uneven playing time in her career, as foul trouble has been an issue and she has been stuck behind former stars Elizabeth Williams and Azurá Stevens in the frontcourt.
Cooper has the size to be a defensive force in the paint and started to live up to that potential last season before unenrolling from Duke and sitting out the second semester. She will look to solidify her reputation as a rim protector and continue to develop her offensive game to become a consistent threat on that end this season.
Role on Team: Cooper will battle with Erin Mathias and Leaonna Odom for the frontcourt starting position beside senior Oderah Chidom. She played the most minutes of anyone coming off the bench in Sunday's exhibition against Charleston, perhaps a sign that she will be used to give Mathias and Chidom a breather.
After a long time away from the team last year, she appeared to fit right in again on the court. Cooper can also present a different, more physical presence in the paint, allowing the Blue Devils to change the pace if needed. For Cooper to truly push for a starting position, though, she will need to show chemistry with Duke’s three-headed backcourt attack of Lexie Brown, Rebecca Greenwell and Kyra Lambert, which will spearhead the offense.
Projected stats: 5.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.3 BPG
Stay tuned to the Blue Zone for our final player preview with senior Oderah Chidom tomorrow. Previous players previewed include Leaonna Odom, Haley Gorecki, Faith Suggs, Crystal Primm, Kyra Lambert, Lyneé Belton, Erin Mathias, Lexie Brown and Rebecca Greenwell.
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