With the NCAA tournament fully in the rearview mirror, college programs have already turned to the nuts and bolts of reloading for another season. The bad news for fans who dream of upsets is that the rich got ostensibly richer. The good news is that an exciting class of players will enter programs with opportunities to shine. Whether players from this class feature heavily in the early part of the season or not, these 10 tournament teams will be stronger because of these 10 recruits.

1. Jasmine 'Jazzy' Davidson, Guard, USC

Jasmine Davidson high fives Grace Knox (5) during the McDonald's All-American game/

Jazzy Davidson finished her high school career as the top recruit in the nation, receiving a 98 grade from ESPNW, equal to Betts and Chavez, who are ranked behind her. While Chavez is a guard and Betts is a big forward, Davidson is the guard/forward combo in between them. Standing at 6’2”, Davidson can handle the rock easily and function as a point forward if empowered to do so. Her long arms help her finish over the defense, but also allow her to wreak havoc on the defensive end.

Kiki Iriafen is off to the WNBA, and JuJu Watkins is projected to miss almost all of this next season. Davidson is just the injection of size, creation, and skill that can help this team stay productive in Watkins' absence. Davidson will get an opportunity next season and can harness USC’s momentum to continue the program’s upward trajectory.

2. Sienna Betts, Forward, UCLA

Sienna Betts was named MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game in Brooklyn, where she displayed poise, shot-making, and defensive impact. While not as big as her 6’7 older sister, Sienna fits extremely well next to her as a classic forward/center combo. With Lauren and Sienna, UCLA will be able to field a devastating Hi-Lo game next season with potential for some terrifying three-big alignments in certain games. Whether with Team USA or with Grandview High School, Betts produced at the lower levels, lifting a Colorado 6A state championship this past year. She’s one of the best young anchors in the nation, showing potential and prowess with the ball in her hands. A move she looks to often is the one-legged post fade, where her greater size and length allow her to get the shot off on almost anyone. Betts will also likely have some of the best spacing of her career, due to UCLA’s complement of elite shooting. Already capable with either hand and ripping to attack off the catch, UCLA and Cori Close will have a strong foundation to mould for the future, adding pieces to her offensive game as needed. Armed with size, deep tournament experience, and incoming freshman pieces, UCLA is poised to challenge for a title again in 2026.

3. Aaliyah Chavez, Guard, Oklahoma

Chavez was ESPN's No. 1 player until the final rankings were announced on Apr. 16. Chavez is a livewire ball-handler with deep range, capable of dictating the pace of the game and drawing fouls with ease. She finished her high school career with 4,796 points and averaged 26.8 points per game over her last 3 AAU events. If given a runway, Chavez will likely dominate at OU in a style that fans across the country will fawn over.

Chavez will build a partnership with rising-senior, All-American center Raegan Beers, as their skills pair together delightfully. Chavez will be able to get downhill and find new angles to get Beers the ball going downhill, while Beers will get opportunities on the offensive glass from the freshman’s shooting. The strong defensive backstop will help Chavez get adjusted to college, and the turnaround in transition from the outlets should be lightning quick. With OU returning its core four scorers from this season, expect Oklahoma to take another step forward into the national spotlight.

4. Emilee Skinner, Guard, Duke

Emilee Skinner was one of the best performers at the McDonald’s All-American game, picking up seven assists against a single turnover. Skinner is a 6’ point guard, but was second in Utah and in the top 100 nationally in scoring. She’s a shooter who needs to be respected and is capable of catching fire if left alone. At guard, Skinner also picks up steals and blocks at a stunning rate.

Every ounce of passing will be needed on a Duke team that only had one player average above three assists per game. Skinner’s size at the guard spot should allow her to find budding star Toby Fournier increasingly in better positions.

5. Aaliyah Crump, Guard, Texas

Aaliyah Crump (23) plays defense.

Aaliyah Crump also spent her last high school season at Montverde, like Makeer. Crump is another 6’2” big guard with an impressive vocabulary of passes to go with good vision. Right handed hook passes, lefty one handed dots to the corner, post entries; Crump has them all in her bag. She adds quality shooting from three point range and in-between, making her a tough cover on a close out. Deny the shot too hard and you’re 5 on 4, but try and play the drive at a three might splash in your face.

Texas does a great job integrating these players that have both size and skill, and Crump should be no different. She should fit in with the other Texas wings next season and bring some instant offensive smoothing and connectivity. Hopefully, more passing and shooting from the wings can open up and ease the crunch-time offense for the Longhorns.

6. Agot Makeer, Wing, South Carolina

Agot Makeer is another tall, long-armed, athletic wing out of Canada, who finished her career at Montverde Academy ranked number four in her class.. Makeer’s rangy frame allows her to be extremely versatile on both ends, capable of finding mismatches. Although she didn’t hit any three pointers at the McDonald’s All-American game, she shot 36% over her last four Nike Elite Youth Basketball League events. Makeer is also an effective passer who gets out in transition and can see over a defense to make passes that smaller guards simply can’t. Handling Division I physicality will be a challenge early, as Makeer is lanky and may struggle with the demands of the college game.

Luckily, Dawn Staley can cycle players in and out without missing a beat and prepare players for the toughness of a full season. Although Milaysia Fulwiley is out of the door at South Carolina, prospects like Makeer will develop behind the current crop of young talents after a solid tournament run. Staley now has another long, athletic wing to defensively terrorize teams.

7. Grace Knox, Wing, LSU

Grace Knox comes to LSU from the legendary Etiwanda H.S. in California as a defensive monster. Standing at 6’2”, Knox is as stalwart a defender and rebounder as any coach could ask of a freshman. In high school, she paired with USC’s Kennedy Smith and worked effectively as a roller to the basket. Knox isn’t a bad shooter, necessarily, but is certainly a reluctant one. She’s only made a three point shot in a quarter of the events she’s played in across AAU, HS, and all-star games. That kind of self-awareness isn’t a bad thing, as younger players' biggest growth point is learning to play their roles. Knox is tough and will fight right into a clear role and culture at LSU.

8. Hailee Swain, Guard, Stanford

Hailee Swain is another lead guard, though slightly smaller at 5’10”, but just as effective as her compatriots. Swain has that point guard quality of being undeniable when getting to her spot. She’s also a confident and dangerous outside shooter, which opens up passing and driving lanes for her off the catch. Swain’s biggest early challenge will be controlling turnovers, as she often turns it over more than she assists teammates. She’ll also have to fit onto a Stanford team that’s nearly half underclassmen, and she comes into her freshman year with four other highly recruited teammates. Pending transfers, 12 of the 15 players will have less than 3 years of experience, something uncommon in a modern college team. While that is a challenge, it’s equally an opportunity. Swain will have the chance to show she deserves the ball in her hands right away. If she puts up more turnovers than assists, she will sit. If she can find a role spacing the floor and setting up her teammates, she’ll get more and more runway to dominate.

9. Mia Pauldo, Guard, Tennessee

Mia Pauldo poses during McDonald's All-American media.

Mia Pauldo is the only small guard we have on our list here, and is the only player in the top 23 listed under 5’10”. At 5’5”, Pauldo sticks out on the court for more than just her height. The visual difference draws you in, but Pauldo does everything you want out of a small guard. First, : She takes a TON of threes, and makes them at a terrifying rate, rarely dipping below 40%. Second, defends hard, generating steals and fouling occasionally to let her opponent know she’s there. And thirdly, she gets into the paint at will, and finds her teammates once there. Pauldo’s shooting and defense would be enough to make her an interesting college recruit, but her ability to drop off dimes, get to where she wants, and threaten the basket makes her a great one.

It may take time to adjust to college as Pauldo is both 5’5” and slight, but the shiftiness, skill, and feel are all hyper-real. Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee carried one Sophomore and zero freshmen last season, meaning there’s an opportunity for Mia and her twin sister Mya (Ranked #56) to contribute right away. Alternatively, it may signal an expectation for Pauldo to wait to play as they haven’t relied on freshmen. Either way, Kim Caldwell recruiting the Pauldo twins at all is, in itself, a huge vote of confidence for the smallest top-ranked recruit.

10. Zakiyah Johnson, Forward, LSU

Johnson entered the top 10 in the last ESPN ranking of the year after beginning at No. 13. A small forward, Johnson is a mid-range scoring threat and prides herself on her versatility. Paired with Flau'jae Johnson, the two could be a lethal duo. She will move to Baton Rouge as one of the most decorated players in Kentucky women's basketball history and is currently Miss Kentucky Basketball and the state Gatorade Player of the Year.