As Amoore, Lawrence say goodbye, Kentucky stars detail what they learned about each other
Much has been made of the contributions graduate guards Georgia Amoore and Dazia Lawrence made to the Kentucky women’s basketball program.
In the days since Kentucky’s overtime loss to Kansas State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the dust has settled. As their teammates decide what the future holds, UK’s veteran backcourt duo stands alone, without any remaining eligibility, but with the knowledge that coach Kenny Brooks’ inaugural season in Lexington could not have been as successful as it was without their production, effort and leadership.
“These two young ladies beside me represent everything that we stand for,” Brooks said after Sunday’s loss. ‘So to see this season come to an end, it’s a little disappointing. Regardless, it was a heck of a year. It was one of the more enjoyable seasons I’ve ever been a part of, and a large part was because of their leadership.”
The SEC Newcomer of the Year, ESPN Transfer of the Year, Second Team All-America selection and finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year award, Amoore was instrumental in ushering in Brooks’ unique style of play while breaking records along the way. A double-figure scorer and key energy player, Lawrence shone brightly as the Wildcats’ go-to off-ball guard, and wowed Big Blue Nation with big-time buckets and deadly aim from beyond the arc, shooting almost 40% from 3-point range.
“Kids who are willing to sacrifice a little bit of themselves for the betterment of the team,” Brooks said. “I knew Georgia was going to be a mainstay in what we were going to try to do. That actually was in the recruiting process. When Dazia had an opportunity to play with Georgia she wanted to jump on it. ... I thought we did a really good job of that. Evident by the way they’ve come together, play together. You would look at them and think they’ve been together for a while.”
For all that’s been said, then, perhaps the best people to sum up the impact that Amoore and Lawrence had as leaders, are, in fact, Amoore and Lawrence themselves. The Herald-Leader asked the graduate guards what they learned from each other in their one season as Wildcats.
Here’s what they said.
Georgia Amoore ‘showed up every day’
“I know for me that G has taught me to, no matter what, again, show up and work hard,” Lawrence said. “G has had an amazing career. I followed her career since I came to college. I’ve always been a fan. I think, when I first committed, she texted me, and I was like, ‘Oh, Georgia is texting me?’
“I think always just showing up and be the best version of yourself. I don’t think I’ve seen G have a bad day in a practice or in a game or anything like that. She’s so mentally strong, and she uplifts us every day. No matter if we just turn the ball over, took a bad shot, or anything like that, she just shows up as the best version of herself no matter what she’s going through at home or outside of basketball.
“That’s the one thing that I will forever take. And always working hard. She didn’t get in this position that she’s in just because she showed up. She showed up every day and worked her tail off every single day. I will always remember that and just always, because of her, show up and work no matter what.
I know that, if I do that, great things will happen.”
‘People gravitate toward’ Dazia Lawrence
“Dazia, I mean, she makes the most out of every single situation she’s put in,” Amoore said. “On the court, off the court, whatever it is. She might not be seen to be the go-to, but she makes the clutch plays. She makes the clutch defensive plays. She’s intelligent.
“People gravitate toward her, and I think that’s her nature, but she’s not fake. People don’t gravitate toward her because she’s this lovely person. She is, but she’s going to be real with you. She’s going to tell you what she needs from you. I think that transparency and honesty and the way that she’s able to communicate is really, really impressive.
“She’s a great leader, and the girls love her. I’ve never seen someone in one year come into a space and everyone — no one has a bad thing to say about D. I think it’s just so impressive. Her move from Charlotte to here, maybe it was a different role on the court, but she’s taken it with stride. She’s made the absolute most out of her last year. She probably dreamed of being in this position, and she’s made the most out of it, so it’s really inspiring.”
