Clara Silva, UK women’s basketball’s 6-7 freshman, commits to new home
One of the tallest players in Kentucky women’s basketball history has named her transfer destination.
Clara Silva, Kentucky women’s basketball’s 6-foot-7 freshman, will next suit up for the TCU. Silva announced her decision Thursday after reports that she had entered the transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag attached and that the Horned Frogs were her presumed destination.
Outside of Kenny Brooks’ starting five of graduate guards Georgia Amoore and Dazia Lawrence, and expected 2025-26 contributors Clara Strack, Amelia Hassett and Teonni Key, Silva was the only Wildcat to log time in each of UK’s 31 contests this season; she averaged 4.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.2 steals and 1.1 blocks in 12.5 minutes per game.
Silva, one of three freshmen on this past season’s roster, became the first Wildcat to enter the portal two days after UK’s 80-79 overtime loss to five-seed Kansas State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Later that day, junior guard Saniah Tyler announced she was also looking to transfer. Freshman guard Tanah Becker, a holdover from the Kyra Elzy era, also entered the portal. Guard Cassidy Rowe will also not be returning.
One of three signees to flip their commitments from Virginia Tech to Kentucky following Brooks’ hiring, Silva did not step foot on UK’s campus until a few days prior to the start of the fall semester. Throughout the season, Brooks and Silva spoke to her continued focus on increasing her strength and physicality in an effort to be better prepared for the rigors of Division I, and Southeastern Conference, play.
Silva, originally from Faro, Portugal, was considered to be one of the top international prospects in the class of 2024, and brought with her several years’ experience both within the Portuguese National Team system and with professional club Unicaja Málaga.
Because of her potential, and the fact that she is currently slated to be the only center on TCU’s roster next season, Silva’s commitment marks a win for Naismith Coach of the Year finalist Mark Campbell, who will lose second-leading scorer, leading rebounder and Lisa Leslie Center of the Year finalist Sedona Prince to graduation after this year.
Prince, a controversial figure in the sport due to several domestic abuse allegations by past partners, averaged 17.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 3.0 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game across 37 contests.
TCU finished 34-4, achieved the deepest-ever NCAA Tournament run in school history (men’s or women’s) and won both the Big 12 conference and conference tournament.
When Silva arrives in Fort Worth, she will join a TCU roster that included two former Kentucky players this season.
Graduate guard Maddie Scherr, Kentucky’s 2020 Miss Basketball for Ryle, played two seasons at Oregon and two at UK before transferring to Texas Christian after the 2023-24 season. She sat out the 2024-25 campaign recovering from a back injury and is expected to return to the court for the Horned Frogs next season.
Graduate forward Deasia Merrill, who was redshirted with a knee injury during her one season at Kentucky in 2019-20 before transferring, appeared in 24 games for TCU this past season, averaging 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 6.6 minutes per game. Like Prince, Merrill’s college career ended when this season came to an end.
