Laila Phelia is trading burnt orange for the Orange. The former Michigan women’s basketball standout has transferred from Texas to Syracuse for her final season of college.
“We are thrilled that Laila has committed to Syracuse University,” head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said in a statement announcing the signing on Monday. “What she brings is a winning pedigree; 72-0 in high school, two Elite Eights and a Final Four. Laila has seen what we are trying to achieve.
“Most importantly she’s a great young lady that has the aspiration to rule the world. What better place (to) come than the ‘Block S’ which has a global signature.”
Phelia had eye surgery last summer to repair a detached retina and, despite an initial recovery, reportedly needed another surgery. As a result, she appeared in just eight games this past season, her first at Texas. Her final appearance came on Dec. 11.
Texas still earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Final Four before losing to South Carolina to finish 35-4.
Granted a medical redshirt, Phelia will use it in central New York. Syracuse went 12-18 overall and 6-12 in the ACC last season, Legette-Jack’s third as coach. The Orange will face Michigan on Nov. 21 in Connecticut as part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase.
Phelia’s first transfer came as a surprise after three successful seasons at Michigan during which she appeared in 88 games with 71 starts. The 6-foot guard from Cincinnati averaged a team-high 16.8 points per game as a junior, earning All-Big Ten first-team honors. Michigan made the NCAA Tournament all three years, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2022.
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