"I'm happiest when I'm on the floor': High school basketball phenom Aaliyah Chavez shares a heartfelt message as she makes a major SEC move 

Aaliyah Chavez, the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 Class (as per On3's Industry Rankings), made her commitment to the Oklahoma Sooners official on Tuesday, after much-awaited anticipation. The 5-foot-9 point guard took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a heartfelt message about playing basketball as she finishes off her high school chapter:

"BASKETBALL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF ME. I CAN'T REMEMBER A TIME WHERE A BASKETBALL WASN'T IN MY HANDS. THAT'S HOW DEEP MY LOVE FOR THE GAME IS. THE ONLY THING I'VE EVER WANTED WAS TO BE ABLE TO PLAY THE GAME AND TO BE ABLE TO PLAY THE GAME MY WAY. I'M HAPPIEST WHEN I'M ON THE FLOOR, PLAYING THE GAME I LOVE, WITH PEOPLE THAT I LOVE. IT'S SIMPLE... I JUST LOVE THE GAME," she tweeted.

Chavez, who made her decision after rejecting Texas, UCLA and more programs, will join head coach Jennie Baranczyk's side next season. One of the most decorated high school players, the Lubbock, TX native, talked about her decision to join Oklahoma with ESPN.

“They have great coaches, coaches that I’ve been talking to since I was in eighth grade,” Chavez said on ESPN about why OU was the decision. “And just a great playing style. They match how I want to play. I want to play fast, and that’s why I chose it.”

“I think our connection just matched and the vibe was a little different in Oklahoma, with the players and the coaches,” said Chavez.

In her senior year at Monterey High School, Chavez led the Plainsmen to a 37-5 overall and a 14-2 record in the Texas Region I 5A Region I District 3 Basketball League, where they rank No. 3.

She also led her school to the 2025 UIL Texas Girls Basketball State Championships after a 64-35 win against Liberty Hill on Mar. 1.

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NBA star compares Aaliyah Chavez with college basketball stars

In a clip posted on X by Chancellor Johnson, the four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young compared Aaliyah Chavez to UConn stars Paige Beuckers and more:

“Aaliyah is the next Paige Bueckers, the next Juju Watkins, the next Caitlin Clark of college basketball,” he told reporters on Tuesday night. “It’s exciting that she’s going to be in Norman, Oklahoma now," said Young.

Aaliyah Chavez, who had plenty of offers from programs across the nation, took official visits to only the UCLA Bruins and the Oklahoma Sooners before making her commitment.

She will be joined by Keziah Lofton and Brooklyn Stewart at the University of Oklahoma next season.