Editor’s note: This article is part of the Star’s 2018-19 college basketball guide, which ran in Sunday’s paper.
Destiny Graham has experienced a lot as an Arizona Wildcat. New coaches, new systems, even a complete turnover of teammates.
The Wildcat senior, called “Grandma” by her teammates, says she’s eager to stamp a happy ending on her college career.
Arizona’s roster is stacked with young talent and a handful of major-college transfers, and Graham says she’s excited by the new dynamic.
“This year. all the girls are welcoming and we all have the same goal — just to win and get better together,” she said. “That goal makes it easier because we all want to work towards it. We’re playing for each other and with each other.”
Coaches say Graham puts her team first. She’s started 55 of the Wildcats’ 60 games since the start of her sophomore season. The 6-foot-2-inch San Francisco native has played center, forward, even guard.
“Destiny is like a jack-of-all-trades,” coach Adia Barnes said. “I like that she can adapt to any situation this team needs and she’s receptive to that. That’s what I like. If I say, ‘Destiny play the 5 (spot, center),’ she’ll go play the 5. If I say, ‘Destiny, you’re going to play the 2 (guard spot) or the 3 (forward spot),’ she’ll go do it. And she’s very smart. Most players can’t know four positions. She knows all four positions. I love the fact that she will adapt to anything that is best for the team.”
Sophomore Kiana Barkoff says Graham is “definitely our senior,” and she means it as a compliment.
“We can talk to her about anything. We’re not shy to go to her about things,” she said. “The way she gives advice is more positive. … She just explains things. She is very well-spoken. … A good role model.”
It’s taken a while for the selfless senior to develop on the court. She credits much of her recent improvement to Barnes, who took over for Niya Butts following the 2015-16 season.
“When she came in my sophomore year, she was helping me build confidence in my shooting,” said Graham. “There’d be some games where I would be playing the 3 and we’d be by our bench and she’d say ‘shoot that shot’ or ‘you got her; take her’—she’d be in my ear. I think it was her giving me that confidence to do what I can do, what I’m capable of. “
Barnes was in her ear again last season, when Graham — playing center — had to battle players taller and wider than she was.
It worked. Graham doubled her per-game output, averaging 8.1 points and 6.4 rebounds, and the league noticed.
“I remember hearing on the sidelines when we played Colorado, ‘Get up on her, don’t let her shoot.’ We played Oregon and they are like, ‘Oh, shooter is in the corner,’” Graham said. “And I’m like, ‘OMG! They really think that I can play.’
“This year I don’t think I’ll be underestimated. I’ve been here for four years and they’ve seen what I can do playing in different spots. I know what it feels like to be a post player and I know what it feels like to be a guard, because I played guard my sophomore year. I think just being able to play those two spots helped make my game more than just being a post or just being a guard.
“I can play both inside and out, and I think I can read post players really well. I’ve played it and I’ve defended it.
“I think me being versatile and being able to play a lot of positions helps.”
Off the court, Graham is a role model for her young teammates. She graduated in three years with a major in psychology and a minor in sociology. She is now handling an accelerated one-year graduate program in marketing.
Graham has seen the downs — a brutal freshman year that led to Butts’ termination — and endured coaching and roster turnovers. She’s the only player remaining from her 2015 recruiting class still on the roster.
Now, Graham is part of a full-blown rebuild that includes a new style of play and a complete culture change. Take practice.
“Definitely my first year we ran a lot, I mean a lot,” she said. “We don’t really run as much with coach Barnes.
“We do a lot of playing, which I like a lot better than putting us on a line and making us run. I think just running and basketball shape are two different things. I’d rather play and be in shape than just running and hating coming to practice all the time.”
There are high expectations for her senior season: to win.
“I love to coach her,” Barnes said. “She’s had a couple of different coaches, a lot of different assistant coaches, so for her there’s been a lot of change. And she’s resilient and she’s going to leave here with a graduate degree. So I am happy for her.”
