Aaliyah Chavez, No. 1-ranked high school player, commits to Oklahoma women's basketball
Aaliyah Chavez, the No. 1-ranked women's college basketball recruit in the nation, has announced her college decision.
Chavez, the National Gatorade Player of the Year in 2025, announced her commitment to Oklahoma live via ESPN's "SportsCenter" on Tuesday afternoon. She chose the Sooners over Texas, Texas Tech, LSU, South Carolina and UCLA.
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Chavez, a 5-foot-9 point guard, is rated the No. 1 player nationally, according to ESPN's rankings. Her Gatorade Player of the Year honor also puts her in elite company, which includes Juju Watkins, Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore, among many others. UConn's Azzi Fudd, South Carolina's Joyce Edwards and UCLA's Kiki Rice, who are all still playing in the women's NCAA Tournament, also won the award.
SWEET 16 RANKINGS: Reseeding women's NCAA Tournament field from No. 1 to No. 16
Chavez, who attends Monterey High School in Lubbock, Texas, averaged 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season while leading her team to a Class 5A state championship. She was also selected as a McDonald's All-American and scored 50 or more points nine times in her high school career.
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The Sooners are a team on the rise, especially after Chavez's commitment. Oklahoma made the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013 this season and are set to return star forward Raegan Beers, the No. 1-ranked transfer last offseason.
On3's Pete Nakos reported Tuesday that Chavez is expected to also sign an NIL deal with Jordan Brand, which sponsors Oklahoma's football and men's and women's basketball teams.
Chavez made some noise with her March commitment, but this time next year she looks to be making some noise in March Madness.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaliyah Chavez commitment: Top recruit joins Oklahoma basketball
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