She’s not your average superstar.
Sure, she puts up superstar numbers, leads the team across the board and keeps opposing coaches awake at night, but Duke guard Haley Gorecki's career has not been all sunshine and rainbows.
Injuries shortened her first three campaigns with the Blue Devils, only appearing in 37 games over the 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. Last year was a different story for Gorecki, as she finally stayed healthy and dominated on the court, becoming the first Blue Devil ever to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists over a season.
“I knew that an injury, I’m calling it a little injury, was not going to hold me back” Gorecki said with a grin across her face. “I always knew I was going to come back, but when was always the question.”
Gorecki's comeback
Unfortunately for Gorecki, these “little injuries” kept her off the court for most of her early career at Duke.
In her freshman campaign, she showed promise coming off the bench for the Blue Devils. The numbers were not jaw-dropping, but nonetheless, she was making solid contributions as a freshman until a nagging hip injury cut her season short.
The 6-foot small combo guard then was forced to redshirt her sophomore season, when injuries once again reared their head and prevented her from playing basketball.
It appeared as if injuries were in the rearview mirror for Gorecki, as she was in the midst of putting together a stellar redshirt sophomore year. However, before she could cross the finish line, Gorecki went down with another injury to her opposite hip. Once again, the Blue Devils were forced to finish the season without what was then their emerging star.
Injuries to a basketball player’s lower body have historically proven to be a kiss of death. The explosion often times just goes away, with numerous examples in the NBA and WNBA of players that never reached their full potential due to health.
Gorecki found herself in a similar situation last fall. Would she be able to stay healthy all year? What kind of numbers could she put up with all her talent? Did she still have the ability to play at the level she was accustomed to?
To say Gorecki bounced back from the injury would be an understatement. She not only suited up for every single game, but led her team in nearly every statistical category.
When asked about her historic season, Gorecki flashed a glimpse of her humble self.
“It is great but I’m more of a team player," Gorecki said. "I’m really excited for this team for what we really can bring this year.... We definitely did great things [last year] where I think if I take my leadership and everything I’ve done from last year into this year, we have a great group of girls. I think big things will happen”
She shrugs off the amount of hoops she has had to jump through to get to the position she is in today. Instead of dwelling on her past achievements, she likes to move on to the future and focus on the next task at hand.
On the court
It'd be difficult to find a spot on the court that Gorecki can't do damage. Though her 3-point shooting may be the subject of the majority of her praise, she is a skilled passer and is not afraid to mix it up in the paint to get rebounds.
Her versatility is accredited with making her one of the most dangerous players in the country. She is a well-rounded player, especially from an offensive standpoint and does not allow opposing teams to enact a one-dimensional strategy in order to shut her down.
Growing up, the 2018-2019 All-ACC first-teamer was an avid Steve Nash fan, playing point guard for most of her childhood. She accredits her 3.9 assists per game last season to years of watching the crafty Canadian discombobulate opposing teams with his uncanny court vision.
Once she sprung up a few more inches as she got older, she retained her elite passing abilities and began to mold them together with other facets of her game.
'Tough as nails'
In an era where team sports have gravitated towards individual performances being valued more than the team itself, Gorecki is an anomaly.
“She’s all heart and soul and love of team and one of the gutsiest players I have ever known” said head coach Joanne McCallie. “The thing that separates her is that she is tough as nails…. She doesn’t want attention she just wants to win championships.”
While it is unclear if this Duke team has enough to make noise in the NCAA tournament this year—if it even makes the field—it is evident that Gorecki will do everything in her power to make it happen.
“I am a competitor who just really likes to win and will do anything for the team to win,” said Gorecki.
Friend, teammate, competitor. Gorecki wears many hats but most of all, she is Haley Gorecki, and she knows exactly who she is: she is still a girl from Palatine, Ill., with a dream to play the game she loves.
Editor's note: this is a part of The Chronicle's 2019-20 Duke women's basketball preview, the rest of which can be found here.
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Jake Piazza is a Trinity senior and was sports editor of The Chronicle's 117th volume.