Why sophomore guard Lexi Gordon is leaving Connecticut
![UConn Huskies guard/forward Lexi Gordon (34) works on a passing drill during pregame warm ups before their exhibition game against Southern Connecticut State University at the XL Center. Gordon plans to transfer from the university. (Cloe Poisson/Hartford Courant/TNS via Getty Images) UConn Huskies guard/forward Lexi Gordon (34) works on a passing drill during pregame warm ups before their exhibition game against Southern Connecticut State University at the XL Center. Gordon plans to transfer from the university. (Cloe Poisson/Hartford Courant/TNS via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/e8ef33dcd62c50c0922a5b80a332611a6f5613f8b2a1855704c7e4fc72d72a07.jpg)
Lexi Gordon announced Thursday she will be leaving Connecticut.
The sophomore out of Hurst, Texas was the No. 29-ranked recruit in the country, according to ESPN.com. She didn’t see much time on the floor in her two years under Geno Auriemma, playing in 30 total games and just four this season while battling a leg injury. She averaged the fewest minutes per game on the Huskies’ roster.
This news comes less than 48 hours after a heated matchup with Notre Dame and the drama that unfolded on Twitter between the two programs. It also follows conversations of Uconn losing the top 2019 prospect, Haley Jones, to Stanford, Dawn Staley boasting the No. 1 recruiting class at South Carolina and the ever-improving parity in the women’s game.
Players transferring from a school like UConn rings a little differently than other transfer news out of other programs. Why? Because you can argue that players are walking away from arguably the biggest dynasty in basketball and some might wonder why anyone would ever do such a thing.
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But on the other side, it suggests Gordon wasn’t going to be content hardly losing a game in her college career (something few get the chance to experience) if she was on the sidelines watching it happen. I believe parity happens when players of her caliber decide they want to have a direct impact on taking a program from good or average — to great.
Not that what UConn has done is or was easy by any means, but I think more and more players will start to realize the beauty of being part of a program where you aren’t necessarily destined for a championship. It isn’t as predictable. Because, let’s be real, if you go to UConn and play for Geno Auriemma, the chances of having bling on your finger at some point in a four-year span is extremely high.
Nothing is guaranteed. But for UConn players like Gordon, it seems to boil down to the question of: would you rather win championships and not make much of a difference, or make a tangible difference somewhere and risk not winning as many (or any) championships?