“Big thingz in store”: WNBA legend Candace Parker hypes Kaleena Smith following her CIF Open Division title win 

Kaleena Smith is the No. 1 ranked player in the 2027 Class, according to On3. The 5-foot-5 point guard has been making moves with her team, Ontario Christian, leading them to California's Southern Section Open Division title after a tight 64-63 win against Etiwanda on Saturday.

Kaleena Smith's performance earned her praise from the seven-time WNBA All-Star Candace Parker:

big thangz in store for @special.kayyy11," Parker captioned her story.

WNBA legend Candace Parker hypes Kaleena Smith following her CIF Open Division title win (Image: IG/candaceparker)

The Ontario Christian sophomore appeared in a video uploaded on Instagram by Fight Club, where she spoke about being signed by the footwear conglomerate, Adidas, alongside Parker.

Check out the Instagram reel below:

"Friends & Family resumes with Kaleena Smith. The #1 ranked player in the nation shows how she stays at the top, and breaks down her exclusive partnership with adidas Basketball and Candace Parker. New Friends & Family, out now on YouTube," the post was captioned.

"I feel like when I was younger, I also looked up to her. Her being one of the best players to play the game and just being able to have somebody that's been there before, mentor me is for sure great," Smith said.

She also talked about the time she met Parker at a Sparks game:

"And I remember, when I met her, I kind of froze up a little bit in person, going to one of the LA Sparks game. I took a picture, my mom sent me that picture a few days after signing with the brand. And it was just really a full circle moment."

Kaleen Smith has led her school to a 29-1 record, with their only defeat coming against Archbishop Mitty on Dec. 21 with a 59-34 scoreline.

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Candace Parker on Kaleena Smith

Getting compared to a WNBA star is a big deal, however, Kaleena Smith has been turning heads with her performances. In a video posted by Nick DePaula on X (formerly Twitter) on Nov. 13, 2024, Parker claimed that Smith reminded her of herself at 16 years old.

“She reminds me of myself at 16," Parker said in a video announcing Smith's signing. "The future of basketball isn’t coming. She’s already here.”

“If you watch her play, her game speaks for itself. As a brand, we felt like this was a perfect fit. When I started in my role, I wanted to take an innovative approach in how we connect with the best players in the game and empower them in their pursuit of excellence on and off the court."

Smith became Adidas' first women's basketball NIL signing on Nov. 14.