Lexi Blue Learned A Lot During Her Freshman Season

Vicky Graff Photo

Lexi Blue was a consensus top 30 player in her recruiting class and was ranked as high as no. 11 by All-Star Girls Report after averaging 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game as a senior at Lake Highland Prep (Fla.) her senior year.

She shot 50.2 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3 and led her team in scoring, field goals made and games played and was second in field goal percentage, rebounds and 3-pointers. She finished her prep career with 1,360 points along with 504 rebounds, 187 assists, 99 steals and 43 blocks. More importantly, she helped her team win five straight state championships.

Blue played behind veteran players her first season at UK but averaged 9.2 minutes per game in the 23 games she played.

Blue said her first year at UK was “definitely challenging” but understood that was part of being a freshman in the Southeastern Conference.

“I had great teammates and great coaches around me that have just been guiding me every step of the way,” said Blue. “As the season goes on, you grow more and more confident. We grew more confident in each other. We grew  more confident in what we want Kentucky women’s basketball to be.

“Just going out every day and working hard, I think, instilled confidence in us. We believed that we had a great team.”

Blue admits adjusting to a part-time role was different since she was on a team that won five straight state high school titles in Florida.

“I know what it’s like to be at the bottom in the eighth grade. I didn’t really play, and then by the time I was a senior, I was able to play a lot of minutes on a really good team,” she said. “I know what that’s like, and I know that it’s hard to be a part of something special. So just trying to learn was my main focus, and doing whatever the team needed me to do.”

What was the biggest thing she learned watching players like Georgia Amoore and Dazia Lawrence along with other younger teammates?

 What did she think was the biggest thing she has learned?

“Obviously, playing in the SEC is a lot faster and definitely defensively it is way different,” she said. “Learning those types of principles was not easy. So just focusing on that, obviously, I’ve learned a lot of little things from my teammates and great leaders like Georgia and Dazia.”

Watching Amoore, an All-American point guard and sixth pick in the WNBA Draft, play was an “amazing” experience for Blue.

“She shocked me every single time she came down on the floor. Learning from someone like that, her mentality, her energy, her focus, everything she brings, it’s honestly outstanding. It’s an experience I’m really lucky to have gotten.”

Blue obviously was a believer in UK coach Kenny Brooks before she arrived in Lexington. That respect increased after she spent a season with him.

“He’s a great coach. He’s a great person. That’s one thing that was really big for me is great people, and he’s also a great person,” Blue said. “So having a coach like that, someone with such wisdom who loves the game …  he notices all the little things.

“Being able to be under someone like that that honestly thinks about basketball in a way that I’ve never thought of before was obviously amazing.”

Blue even managed to survive her first winter in Kentucky.

“I didn’t know about seasonal depression. When the sun came out I had the biggest smile on my face, so really excited about that but honestly, it’s been really fun here even with the cold weather,” Blue said.