Women’s college basketball is full of young superstars. USC’s JuJu Watkins, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, Texas’ Madison Booker, and UConn’s Sarah Strong have proven in consecutive seasons that first-year player can become history-making, household names if they commit to the right program. For 5-star prospect Aaliyah Chavez, the burden of selecting a school that’s tailored to her skillset and ambitions is rapidly approaching.
The No. 1 player in the 2025 class is set to announce her college decision on March 25 at 2 p.m. ET. Chavez hails from Lubbock, Texas and plays at Monterey High School.
According to her father, the finalists for the point guard’s services are Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, UCLA and South Carolina; LSU, UCLA and South Carolina are not believed to be legitimately still in the mix for Chavez’s commitment, according to 247Sports insiders.
Aside from Chavez, the rest of the top 10 players in the 2025 class have all committed.
No matter which hat Chavez dons on Tuesday, she will have the expectations of being an instant-impact player from the moment she steps on campus.
Brandon Clay, the 247Sports Director of Women’s Basketball Scouting, is positive that Chavez can have an NCAA introduction that’s similar to the aforementioned stars.
“There is no reason to think that Chavez can’t walk onto any campus and provide immediate production next season,” Clay stated. “Expecting Chavez to have a season comparable to Ohio State’s standout freshman, Jaloni Cambridge, isn’t too far out of the question.”
Like Cambridge, Chavez is the No. 1-rated point guard in her class and a dormant force at the high school level. Clay describes Chavez as a “prolific, yet efficient, scoring option” who can do everything on the court. The Texan impressed evaluators so much that she racked up nearly every post-season award offered to high school players — including McDonald’s All-American honors, a Gatorade National Player of the Year trophy and a Naismith National Player of the Year award.
At the college level, Clay thinks the dynamic guard can control either backcourt position. However, he believes that she’s best suited to be the primary ball-handler and lead guard.
“There’s no reason to think she won’t be an instant-impact player at any program. Chavez is a ball-dominant guard who should be able to handle a role at the point from Day 1. She’ll be called upon to score the basketball while still making plays for her teammates. In that regard, Chavez’s usage rate should be more similar to Asia Durr’s during her at Louisville than Juju Watkins’. Durr went on to be the second overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. If all holds up over the next four seasons, Chavez could have a similar fate come the 2029 WNBA Draft.”
In order for Chavez to have a freshman season that mirrors the expectations placed on her, she’ll have to choose a school that’s void of a ball-dominant guard. She’ll also require a trusting coaching staff that gives her green light to play through her mistakes.
Chavez and her family have not tipped their hand as to where she’ll be going. But, she did visit the Oklahoma Sooners this weekend to watch OU beat Florida Gulf Coast in the first round of the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament. Although she described her visit to Norman as “a great experience,” she also gave the impression that the weight of her upcoming decision is taking a toll on her.
“I am looking forward to (it being over),” Chavez told reporters. “I’m kind of ready to be done and just be with one school. It’s great to know I’m about to be down to just one school.”
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