It’s no secret that Maryland point guard Destiny Slocum is a joy to watch on the court. The five-foot-seven Big Ten Freshman of the Year is fast and agile, and as dagger-sharp on charges to the rim as with transition three-pointers.
But she might be even more fun to watch on the sidelines.
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On Sunday, Slocum checked out of the Terrapins’ final regular-season game with about six minutes remaining, her team well on its way to a 93-60 rout of Minnesota and a share of the regular-season Big Ten title.
Just because the freshman was on the bench, however, didn’t mean she was done for the day. She shot to her feet and bounced up and down any time her teammates got a stop on defense; she celebrated scoring plays with the dab and the “eating cereal” move and more.
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When superstar seniors Brianna Jones and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough subbed out with just a few minutes remaining, and the Senior Day crowd rose to its feed in appreciation, Slocum hugged them both so tightly it seemed like she might have to be peeled away. And when the buzzer finally sounded, she ignited a group hug, hopped directly in the middle of a team huddle, and then jumped on the back of six-foot-six freshman center Jenna Staiti and rode her way to the handshake line.
It was exhausting to watch, but it also made clear why coaches and teammates can’t stop gushing about her.
“She always brings a lot of energy to whatever we’re doing, on or off the court, she’s just great to have around,” Jones said.
Growing up in Idaho, Slocum says, she was always prone to bouncing off the walls, often to the chagrin of her mother. But what might be a hindrance to a parent trying to get some quiet in the evenings is an advantage on the basketball court. The energy is contagious, and it’s a huge reason why the 18-year-old is already such an effective leader despite being the youngest and one of the most inexperienced players on the court. Head coach Brenda Frese says that Slocum is just a born leader, and the teenager can’t really argue with that.
“I’ve always been a point guard, so it’s something I’ve always had to have,” Slocum said. “It just naturally kind of happened, I’m not sure how. It’s just there.”
Slocum in a high school three-pointer championship last year. Photo by Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
“The kid is great, she doesn’t shy away from the moment,” Walker-Kimbrough said, marveling at the stop-and-pop transition three Slocum hit in the waning seconds of the first quarter.
“That was cold. And there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that she wasn’t going to miss it. I have the utmost confidence in her. She is running our team.”
That may be true, but Slocum has a phenomenal surrounding cast: Jones is averaging 19.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, and is leading the NCAA in field goal percentage for the second year in a row. Walker-Kimbrough, meanwhile, became the fifth player in Maryland history to score 2,000 points this season. Both are expected to be first-round WNBA drafts, and both made the first-team All-Big-Ten.
But while Jones and Walker-Kimbrough set the tone, Slocum fearlessly sets the team’s tempo. She’s averaged six assists and 11.1 points per game this year, and has helped to motor Maryland into the highest-scoring offense in women’s college basketball, at an average of 90 points per game. (Her favorite player growing up was Jason Williams—”White Chocolate.” Nothing makes her as happy as a great assist.)
And she seems to only get better the higher the pressure gauge goes. Maryland has lost just twice this year: a December 29 game to Connecticut, and last week to Ohio State, the other regular-season Big Ten title winner. In both games, Slocum showed why she’s one of the most exciting freshmen in the country. Against UConn, she scored 23 points, two shy of her season high, and was five of ten from beyond the arc. Her range was simply Steph Curry–esque, and she hustled and handled the ball like Russell Westbrook.
Slocum also draws comparisons to Maryland legend Kristi Toliver, and rightly so. Slocum had way more assists this year than Toliver did as a freshman, and she’s one three-pointer away from tying Toliver’s freshman record of 59. Slocum relishes these comparisons, which is a good thing, because they’re not likely to die down anytime soon—she will be chasing Toliver’s records for the remainder of her Maryland career.
For right now, she’s focusing in on one Toliver mark in particular: a national championship.
Back in 2006, a freshman Toliver led Maryland to its lone NCAA title. The Terrapins have gone back to the Final Four twice since then, in 2014 and 2015, but they haven’t been able to move beyond the semi-finals. With two of Maryland’s biggest stars ever about to graduate, Slocum would like to give them one unforgettable parting gift.
“We’re close,” Slocum said about their championship chances. “This is is a long journey and we’ll have ups and downs, but we want to be ready for March.”
She knows not to get ahead of herself, though. The Big Ten tournament comes first. In Indianapolis on Friday night, the Terps face Minnesota, and a chance for revenge against Ohio State likely awaits in the final, unless the Madness truly takes over. Maryland is expected to be a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament—though that could change in a week, of course—meaning they would be able to host the first weekend of games in College Park.
Terps fans would love another title. Photo by Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports
No matter what happens, there’s likely to be a lot more attention on Slocum over the next few weeks than she’s ever had before. She’s a player who possesses what many an analyst might awkwardly refer to as “swagger”; she effortlessly demands your focus on the court. And with a name like Destiny, the groan-worthy headline puns practically write themselves.
It’s been said a thousand times that the game speeds up in March, but it’s hard to imagine it bypassing Slocum. Her teammates certainly aren’t worried.
“She just needs to go into the tournament, use all of that energy and put it into the game, which she does on a regular basis,” Jones said. “I mean, I think just continue what she’s doing, because she’s playing great as a freshman.”
Slocum has been preparing for this her whole life, so be prepared not to take your eyes off of her—not even when she’s on the sidelines. She might have a few new dance moves up her sleeves.
“I can’t reveal them yet,” she said. “You have to be there to see it.”
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