Two Players UCLA Could Pivot to After Losing Long

Even after winning a National Championship, UCLA women's basketball is navigating one of the more challenging offseasons in recent program history. The Bruins' top six scorers from last season have all departed for the WNBA, leaving head coach Cori Close with the significant task of rebuilding a roster around sophomore Sienna Betts and determining whether she can take the next step as the program's primary offensive option.

In the 2026 offseason, Close prioritized the transfer portal over the high school recruiting class, bringing in five players including junior forward Addy Brown, who was ranked fourth among all players in ESPN's transfer portal rankings.

The high school class was limited to a single commitment, Joyce Isi Etute, who ranks in the top 100 on Rivals. The approach signals that Close views the portal as the fastest path to restocking the roster in the short term while keeping her recruiting energy focused on building the 2027 class for the longer term.

One of the top priorities in that 2027 class was power forward Eve Long, who ranks in the top ten on every major recruiting site. Long recently announced her decision and will not be heading to Westwood, instead committing to Notre Dame. With that recruitment closed, UCLA now pivots to other targets in the 2027 cycle. Two names stand out as priorities for Close and her staff.

Nation Williams - Power Forward

Williams is ranked inside the top 15 in the 2027 class on all three major recruiting sites and plays the same power forward position as Long, making her a natural replacement target following that commitment. She is a player with deep ties to UCLA that go beyond the recruiting pitch.

Williams' mother, Natalie Williams, was an All-American in both basketball and volleyball at UCLA, providing the program with a built-in connection that few competitors can replicate. Williams has already released a top-10 list of schools, with the Bruins included, suggesting the family legacy has kept UCLA in a favorable position early in the process.

If Close and her staff can get Williams on campus for an official visit, that combination of family history and a national championship program could be enough to make UCLA the clear frontrunner in her recruitment.

Kaleena Smith - Point Guard

Smith is the consensus number one player in the entire 2027 high school class, a distinction that makes her one of the most heavily recruited prospects in the country regardless of position. She is a complete point guard who can distribute, create for teammates, and generate her own offense when needed.

During her junior season at Ontario Christian School in Ontario, California, Smith won the Gatorade Player of the Year award for the state, adding another layer of recognition to an already impressive profile.

UCLA holds a natural geographic advantage in this recruitment, given that Smith is a California native, but the Bruins are far from the only program with a strong case. USC is also well-positioned, having landed several top-ranked players in recent recruiting cycles, and the Trojans will be motivated to extend that momentum by keeping one of the state's best players close to home.

The in-state battle between UCLA and USC for Smith's commitment figures to be one of the more closely watched recruiting storylines in women's basketball over the coming months.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as Two Players UCLA Could Pivot to After Losing Long.

Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 7:30 AM.