Top 15 national prospect commits to UK women’s basketball. ‘She’s just a deadly shooter.’
Kaelyn Carroll is a Kentucky Wildcat.
The No. 15 national prospect in the class of 2025 and the No. 1 recruit in Massachusetts, announced her commitment to UK on Wednesday afternoon. She is coach Kenny Brooks’ first pledge in the 2025 cycle, and the Wildcats’ highest-ranking high school commitment since Treasure Hunt (No. 29 in 2020).
Carroll, a 6-foot-3 wing, is a standout at Tabor Academy under head coach Will Becker and a powerful presence on the Massachusetts-based AAU team the Bay State Jaguars under Laurie Bollin. Her commitment marks an important moment in the continued progress of Brooks’ tenure in Lexington, and his second top-40 prospect since his hiring at the end of March; current freshman Lexi Blue was the No. 40 national prospect in the class of 2024.
Carroll’s versatility and ability to create all over the floor have demanded the attention of numerous Division I programs, and earned her invitations to participate in the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team trials and this year’s Under Armour Next Elite 24 event alongside some of the country’s best up-and-comers. Her reported scholarship offers included some of college basketball’s biggest names, such as Louisville, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Ohio State.
ESPN recruiting analyst Shane Laflin reported last week that Carroll “is considering a list that includes South Carolina, North Carolina and Kentucky.” Laflin also named Carroll among “the best of the best” after the Wootten Camp 150 event at the end of September.
Brooks extended a Kentucky offer near the end of May, but he and his staff have been in pursuit of Carroll’s commitment for much longer; Carroll first heard from Brooks when he was still leading the charge at Virginia Tech. She told the Herald-Leader in July that she thinks the coaching staff is “amazing.”
“Great people, great coaches,” Carroll said. “What stands out most is how much he takes care of his players. I think he values every single player on that court.”
Becker told the Herald-Leader over the summer that Carroll — who led the Seawolves to a 22-6 record during her junior season — is a “high-caliber” student, teammate, leader and athlete, and that her ability to shoot the ball lights-out is the first thing that’ll catch your eye.
“She’s a 44% 3-point shooter,” Becker said. “And because she’s so tall, and she has a quick release and a high release, she can always get her shot off. And she’s just a deadly shooter. ... She has a lot of gravity, the defense is going to be shifted toward her. So when she draws two, she makes a good read. She’s also good at driving into gaps and drawing that second defender and then feeding the post.”
He also took the time to highlight her character, noting her mature response after a high ankle sprain sidelined her at the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
“I couldn’t have asked for more,” Becker said. “She couldn’t be out on the floor playing, so she was just the loudest kid on the bench. Hopping out on the floor any time to celebrate one of her teammates. But what she did that really impressed me was, we had two new sophomores, and she just took them under her wing. And to have someone as high-profile as Kaelyn just stop and spend time with you and make sure you know where your classes are and make sure you know what time to be at the gym and how to handle study hall. She led them around and helped them adjust to the school and adjust to the season. When a kid of that caliber, of that kind of talent, is that selfless, then everyone else on the team has to be that kind of teammate, too.”
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 2:03 PM.
