The Race for Mr. Basketball: Dajuan Gordon
In this series we take a look at the potential candidates for Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois for this upcoming season. Here we profile Curie senior shooting guard Dajuan Gordon.
Profile:
Gordon is a prospect that we have been fans of for a while. He is a smooth scoring two guard that has a lot of projectability. Gordon showed flashes last year as a junior for Curie including a big performance in the quarterfinals at Pontiac. Most of his damage has been done on the travel team circuit with Team Rose where he saw his stock rise to the #3 prospect in-state and a top 150 player nationally.
Odds to Win:
25/1
Why He Can Win:
This could be a sneaky pick for the award. Gordon didn’t really put up huge numbers last season, but he will be the guy as a senior for Curie. Should average in the 18 points per game range with his three point shooting and he will have the red light to score it. Obviously Curie is a known program not only in Chicago, but across the state. They will open the season in central Illinois at the Adam Lopez Tournament in Springfield which will expand his voter base with a good showing.
Obstacles to Win:
Most writers and voters that cover high school basketball aren’t as familiar with Gordon as they are with others. To them he is a role player that was inconsistent with his production last season. He will need to make a statement in Springfield to change that perception from the jump!