Film Study: What Makes Tucker Dordevic So Special
When the Whipsnakes selected Tucker Dordevic sixth overall, Paul Carcaterra referred to Dordevic as a “unicorn” in creating his own offense and shot.
Dordevic lived up to the unicorn moniker with a team-high 13 shots in his pro debut. His ability to get his hands free is something that can’t be coached; shot selection and decision-making can be.
“I want Tucker to shoot when it’s the appropriate shot to take,” said Whipsnakes LC head coach and general manager Jim Stagnitta. “Out of those 13, I probably have a problem with three or four of those. And we talked about it. Part of that is not necessarily the shot, but how he shoots it. It’s a little bit different level here.”
“Shot selection is something that all young guys gotta get used to. He came back and stuck that one down the alley left-handed to tie up the game late. He’s going to be a really good player and he’s going to learn as we go.”
Both of Dordevic’s goals were perfectly-placed, left-handed, on-the-run looks. With his talent and Stagnitta’s oversight, Dordevic’s future is bright. Let’s look at six traits that make him a special prospect.
Change of Direction & Explosiveness
Roll the tape, and you’ll see pretty quickly that Dordevic can get his hands free at will. When he puts his foot in the ground, there is zero wasted movement. Dordevic also dodges full speed, so the suddenness of the change of direction leaves his defender guessing where he’ll go.
While the freshman Dordevic was already lighting up the ACC before this game, to score this goal in the ACC Semifinal on ESPNU cemented Dordevic as one of college lacrosse’s rising superstars. Sprinting into his dodge, Dordevic brings his left hand across to sell the underneath move only to plant hard with his left foot and come topside. He absolutely dusts his defender and releases a rocket. This is one of those moves that kids try to replicate in their backyard for weeks.
