"Dawn Staley waiting on you": Hoops fans react to Kaleena Smith showcasing elite point guard skills for Ontario Christian high school

Kaleena Smith has been turning heads all season, and now, basketball fans are making it clear that she is undoubtedly the best guard in the country.

Ballislife Women’s Basketball highlighted her incredible rise with an Instagram post on Wednesday that sparked major reactions from fans.

“Kaleena is arguably the best guard in the country regardless of class! Would you beg to differ?? 👀” they captioned.

One fan didn’t hold back, commenting:

“Come on to the Gamecocks, Dawn Staley waiting on you 😍,” referencing the legendary South Carolina head coach who’s known for developing top-tier talent.

ballislifewbb via Instagram

Others chimed in with praise like:

“SPECIAL KAYYY!! She is the best in the country!!”

and,

“She is unarguably the best guard regardless of class.”

“Game ready 🙌🏾✊🏾♥️. Focus 🎯”

Smith has been backing up all this praise with her performances. Just last Saturday, she dropped 26 points against the Lynwood Knights. Before that she went on a rampage dropping 37-point explosion against La Jolla Country Day, leading her team to an 88-35 victory.

It’s no surprise Adidas took notice of the young prodigy. In November, Smith became the company’s first women’s basketball NIL signing, securing a multi-year shoe deal. The footwear giant weighed in on the hype as well, commenting:

“Young baller 🔥” under Ballislife’s post.

Acknowledging her skills and talent, one fan added:

“She played like there’s a WNBA contract waiting in the locker room.”

Ranked No. 1 by 247Sports and ESPN, Kaleena has been putting up jaw-dropping numbers this season. In the 2024-25 campaign, she’s averaging 23.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game.

Besides Dawn Staley, Another Top Coach Is Eyeing Kaleena Smith For Their Program

Kaleena Smith’s dominance isn’t new. Last July, she turned heads at Nike Nationals while representing Team Taurasi, where she dropped 30 points and 12 assists in front of none other than Dawn Staley herself. The game was a highly anticipated matchup against Jessie Buckets of Philly Rose.

However, besides Staley, another top women's basketball coach, Kim Mulkey of LSU, is keeping a close tab on the high school sensation. She, alongside lead assistant Gary Redus, was present during the Thanksgiving Hoopfest in December last year to watch Kaleena Smith lock horns with another top prospect, Aaliyah Chavez. Smith finished with 29 points, nine assists and four steals, justifying her No. 1 status.