Instant Impact: The First-Year Phenoms Reshaping Women’s College Basketball
College basketball’s youth movement is arriving fast, loud, and way ahead of schedule, and three freshmen are already redefining what it means to make an immediate impact. Aaliyah Chavez, Sienna Betts, and Jazzy Davidson entered their debut seasons with towering expectations after dominating the high school basketball scene, but their early flashes suggest they may exceed even the boldest projections. From scoring explosions to defensive versatility and national NIL buzz, each freshman brings a different brand of star power, and their programs are already reaping the benefits. As conference play approaches, these first-year phenoms aren’t just adjusting to the college game; they’re shaping it. Here’s why each one is emerging as a must-watch force in women’s hoops.
Aaliyah Chavez: Instant Offense in Norman
If you’re looking for the freshman most likely to hijack the national spotlight, start in Norman with Oklahoma guard Aaliyah Chavez. The consensus first-ranked recruit in the 2025 class rolled into college with a prep resume that barely looks real: 34.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game as a senior at Monterey High in Lubbock, plus a sweep of Gatorade, Naismith, MaxPreps, and SI National Player of the Year honors. She’s already validated the hype, dropping a career-high 29 points on 7-of-10 three-point shooting in Oklahoma’s 89–61 win over Kansas City, a performance that showcased her deep range and ability to take over games in spurts. On the business side, Chavez headlines Nike Basketball’s Class of 2025 NIL athletes and has an estimated $1.5 million NIL package for the 2025-26 season, combining Oklahoma collective support with her national endorsement portfolio. For the Sooners, she’s not just a scorer; she’s the late-clock creator that can elevate a Sweet 16 program into a legitimate Elite Eight threat right away.
Sienna Betts: Frontcourt Anchor-in-Waiting for UCLA
Across the country, UCLA is waiting; somewhat impatiently, for its own freshman phenom to fully hit the floor in six-foot-four forward Sienna Betts. The Spanish-born Grandview product was ranked second overall prospect in the 2025 class and closed out high school with a state title game line of 21 points and 17 rebounds, plus McDonald’s All-American MVP honors and double-double averages for Team USA at the U19 World Cup, displaying 14.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. A skilled face-up big who stretches to the three-point line and punishes defenders on the glass, she projects as the perfect complement to older sister and All-American center Lauren Betts on a Bruins team coming off a 34-win, Final Four season and currently ranked third nationally. A preseason leg injury has sidelined Sienna early; she missed the opener and remains day-to-day, but UCLA’s staff still expects her to be an impact rotation piece once Big Ten play ramps up. Off the court, Betts has already stacked a multiyear footwear-and-apparel NIL deal with New Balance and a spot in Unrivaled’s “Future is Unrivaled” NIL class, positioning her as one of the sport’s most marketable young frontcourt players even before her first full college month.
Jazzy Davidson: USC’s New Closer in the Big Ten
USC didn’t have to wait at all to see what Jasmine Davidson could be at the college level. The freshman guard has hit the ground sprinting in Los Angeles. The four-time Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year and 2,700-plus point high-school scorer arrived as a five-star, top three national recruit, and she immediately translated that pedigree to production, averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists through her first two games. Her breakout moment came in the Ally Tip-Off, where she poured in 21 points with five blocks and three steals, capped by the go-ahead layup in USC’s 69–68 upset of NC State, a classic star win that helped vault the Trojans up the national rankings. Davidson’s slashing left-handed game, defensive length, and late-game fearlessness give USC a ready-made closer as the program navigates Big Ten play without its previous alpha, JuJu Watkins, carrying the entire scoring load. From a branding perspective, she’s already a headliner: a multiyear Nike NIL shoe deal, WME Sports representation, and a prominent role in Nike’s youth-hoops marketing slate mark her as one of the next faces of the women’s game.
