The college basketball world is on the edge of its seat, caught in a high-stakes game where every move could change the landscape of college hoops. With a monumental milestone just within reach, one high school star is setting the court ablaze, rewriting records, and turning heads along the way. As the competition for her signature heats up, head Coach Dawn Staley is scrambling to secure this future game-changer, knowing that her decision will have a ripple effect for years to come. The question remains: who will land the nation’s most sought-after recruit?

According to a recent post on X by On3.com, Lubbock’s Aaliyah Chavez is proving why she’s the nation’s most coveted recruit. Over the weekend, she tallied her sixth 50-point game, a testament to her immense scoring ability which has grown her legacy like no one else. Now with over 4,200 career points in just four years, Chavez continues to break records and fill stat sheets like few before her.

The nation’s number one recruit in the 2025 class, according to ESPNW’s HoopGurlz rankings, Chavez is a name every college program wants, and the battle for her commitment is down to a select five: Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.

For Staley, coach of South Carolina, the inclusion of her program in Chavez’s top five is a sigh of relief. Staley’s Gamecocks are already a force in women’s basketball, having landed Joyce Edwards, the third-ranked recruit in the 2024 class. However, she has yet to secure any of the top three recruits from 2025. The inclusion of South Carolina in her shortlist gives Staley a fighting chance to recruit this talent.

As Staley knows, having Chavez’s name on the dotted line would solidify her program’s position atop the national ranks. With every dribble, Chavez continues to rewrite the record books—could her next move rewrite the future of college basketball?

Chavez chasing history, while Staley chases Chavez

Chavez’s journey is one of growth and glory. The 5-foot-11 guard has already demonstrated her scoring prowess, dropping nearly 100 points in back-to-back games while breaking multiple records, including points in a season, career points, and three-pointers in a game. In fact, her dominance is such that Chavez recently earned Texas Girls’ Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year honors while also being the recipient of the MVP of the Mamba Invitational earlier this year.

Over the past weekend, Chavez poured in 53 points in a game against Pampa—the same amount her opponents had managed to score in the match. This incredible performance also included six 3-pointers, proving once again why she’s considered one of the nation’s top sharpshooters.

But perhaps what’s most impressive about Chavez is her pursuit of 5,000 points, a feat that according to NFHS.com has only been achieved twice before in the history of high school girls’ basketball. Although Chavez only has to score 900 more points and only 10 games remaining before the state playoffs Chavez is poised to achieve that and attain a state title in the process as she attempts to leave a legacy that goes far beyond high school basketball.

She has certainly defined that legacy by her stat sheet. As a junior, she averaged 35.6 points, while grabbing 8.4 rebounds, and making 3.7 assists per game. Now as a senior, she’s even better as she is currently averaging 35.8 points per game, with 9.1 rebounds, and making 3.9 assists, and 3.9 steals per game.

With a near-flawless scoring touch and leadership qualities that have her team eyeing a state championship, Chavez is the complete package. As her recruitment narrows down to the top five schools, the excitement and speculation around her decision continue to build. One thing is for sure: wherever she goes, Chavez will continue to change the landscape of women’s basketball, proving that her pursuit of 5,000 points is just the beginning of what promises to be a bright future! Where do you see the prodigy landing? Drop your predictions in the comment section below!