Oluchi Okananwa brings flair to Duke … in more ways than one
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Duke women’s basketball, like all teams still competing in the NCAA Tournament, has a set of gameday outfits for entering arenas. Often, they’re sweatsuits from their brand-sponsored schools. A stylish look in one sense, but unlike those of professional athletes who always have the autonomy to wear any style they’d like.
If Duke could choose someone to style a look to end up on League Fits or a popular sports fashion social page, it’s an easy choice: sophomore guard Oluchi Okananwa.
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“You know if they opened it up I’d go crazy for sure,” Okananwa said. “I always think about this stuff.”
She knows exactly how she’d style herself and her teammates.
“It would be a great suit moment. One, because you know we mean business. Two, I absolutely love the suit movement, especially on women. It adds that classy, put-together professional vibe — especially with slick-back hair, with glasses on and some nice, elegant black pumps. I think it would just do the trick.”
Welcome to “Styled by Luchi” — the other side of Okananwa, who is one of the biggest catalysts behind the Blue Devils’ second straight berth in the Sweet 16.
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On the court, her versatility and fast-paced style made her the 2024 ACC Sixth Player of the Year as a freshman, the first Duke women’s player to capture the award. This season, she’s continuing to shine in that role, putting up 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in Duke’s first ACC tournament championship since 2013.
“Oluchi has grown a lot from her freshman to sophomore year,” coach Kara Lawson said. “She has a better understanding of what we’re trying to do on the court, understanding of the scheme, being able to slow down — which I know it doesn’t look like she ever slows down, but she’s able to make more reads now.
Off the court, what sets Okananwa apart is a fashion sense that’s become part of the team’s identity. Her “Styled by Luchi” series is a recurring content post in collaboration with the Duke women’s basketball social media accounts. Eight episodes in, she’s learning how to read and adapt to her teammates’ needs just as much off the court. With limited time after basketball and academics, Okananwa has wasted no time translating vital in-game skills into her styling endeavors.
“I feel (versatility) is such an important trait to have in the fashion world,” Okananwa said. “How I did ‘Styled by Luchi’ with each of my teammates was I went into their closets because I really wanted to make sure that I was staying true to their personality, style, and I had to work with them. It gave me such a great perspective on how to work on a time limit because there wasn’t much time to figure out which outfit I wanted to style them in.”
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As sports, culture and fashion continue to intersect, Okananwa’s journey on and off the court is emblematic of the modern college athlete. Both worlds have led to her development at Duke, where her goal is to help the team reach its first Final Four since 2006.
“I think as a basketball player, it’s so important to have identity outside of the court,” she said. “I know for me, it’s so easy to get wrapped up in ‘basketball is who I am,’ but there’s actually so much more. Being able to have ‘Styling with Luchi’ as another avenue where I can express my personality and my place in this world is awesome, truly.”
Ask Duke program members to describe Okananwa and there is no shortage of answers, but all come back to one distinct trait: energy. It’s her job when she checks into the game, providing a spark through instant scoring or tipping the scales on defense. She’s Duke’s third-leading scorer and the team’s leader in steals at nearly two per game.
Her energetic style comes from her upbringing in Boston, where she earned a reputation on the grassroots circuit.
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“I’m always giving it my all,” Okananwa said. “I remember AAU games, Saturday morning at 8 a.m., and it’s like, who is that annoying girl picking up full court? But I love this game. This is so many people’s dreams, but so many of them do not reach it. It’s so hard to forget that we’re one of a small percentage.”
Family is the center of Okananwa’s inspiration — athletically and in fashion. Her older brother Chieme is responsible for her athletic fervor, purchasing a YCMA membership where the two would work out at 5 a.m. before school. He once spent his entire paycheck to purchase Okananwa multiple basketball shoes, she said, because her hard playing style meant quicker wear and tear on her feet. Her sister, Chinma, is a significant inspiration in fashion as she watched her go through different stages in finding her fashion sense and developing her style.
Learning how to evolve as an athlete and budding stylist has become a priority for Okananwa, who turned 21 last month.
“Ultimately, (experimenting with style is) how you find out who you really are,” Okananwa said. “And what it is that you really love right now.”
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Okananwa finished her high school career as the nation’s No. 27 ranked player, according to espnW, and she was a McDonald’s All American in 2023. Duke was always her dream school, and when Lawson offered her a scholarship, it took little time for Okananwa to commit. Upon enrolling, her biggest evolution was accepting the role of a bench player.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult at first,” Okananwa said. “It really was the mental aspect of having to shift it into a space of this is what I have to do for now. This isn’t the end for me. So it’s much better to focus on the present and focus on what I need to do right now, in this moment, to help my team win, and everything else will come.”
Coming off the bench has helped expand Okananwa’s game, providing her a window to see the game differently.
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“Before I go in, I’m getting a feel for what my team is going to need from me,” Okananwa said. “Whether … we’re not pushing the pace, which I love to do, 0r we’re not rebounding, not taking enough shots. Once I (enter) the game, I know what it is because I was just watching the game.”
The Blue Devils’ shared love of fashion is a bonding opportunity. Okananwa’s passion stood out from the start, and at the suggestion of fellow sophomore Jadyn Donovan, she started her own fashion content.
With Okananwa’s talent’s keeping everyone on their toes, the Duke coaches and media staff embraced her passion. “Styled by Luchi” collaborates with the Duke women’s basketball social content, and is shot and edited by Calvin Koo, who leads creative content strategy for the team.
“We were just looking for things to post on our social media for people to understand us a bit better,” Donovan said. “All she talks about is fashion, clothes and pink. She’s gifted in that area, so we had the staff to help her create that aesthetic. … She made it blossom.”
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Momentum is favoring the Blue Devils now, with eight consecutive wins entering Friday’s matchup against their rivals, third-seeded North Carolina. Over that span, Okananwa is averaging 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, all above her regular-season averages.
“She’s a very hard worker,” Lawson said. “Every day, she comes in with the right level of focus and the right level of effort. Everybody does not do that. If you can get yourself to be a player that does that, you can set yourself apart.”
Duke and UNC split their two regular-season meetings, and the third will send one team to the Elite Eight. Duke hopes to make its first Elite Eight trip since 2013.
“What it’s going to take is us doing exactly what we’re doing right now,” Okananwa said. “Not losing sight of the goal, which is to just keep on winning. I feel like we’re so connected and we have one mindset … that’s our driving force.”
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Okananwa’s development at Duke is her primary focus, but she keeps an eye on professional athletes who inspire her athletically and aesthetically. Okananwa hopes to join players like NBA All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and WNBA rookies Cameron Brink and Angel Reese as professional athletes who are also fashion trailblazers.
As for her current endeavor at Duke, she doesn’t see a limit on how big her platform can become.
“I’m so optimistic and excited,” Okananwa said. “Especially being able to start it this young in my life, at the place I am at Duke, with so many resources and so many added benefits. I can’t wait for it to grow.”
Should the Blue Devils continue to advance, ideally to a Final Four in Tampa, Fla., there might be an opportunity for Okananwa to design something special for the team in an NCAA Tournament setting.
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“Oluchi has a great passion about (fashion),” Lawson said. “As a coach, you just try to encourage your players to follow that, follow their passions, the thing that they spend a lot of time on. Basketball doesn’t have to take up their whole life. It’s healthy, and I think there’s room for other things to pursue. She’s got a lot of charisma, she’s very well-spoken and has a great personality. I think all of that combines to something that she should be able to carve out a little bit of a niche for herself.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Duke Blue Devils, Women’s College Basketball, Women’s NCAA Tournament
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