"We going to the Elite Eight this year": 5-star Aaliyah Chavez makes bold promise to Oklahoma fans

Oklahoma is bringing in Aaliyah Chavez, the top player in the 2025 class. Chavez has already stirred excitement among the fanbase, raising expectations with a bold promise.

The Sooners had organized Class Kickoff, a spirited event designed to introduce incoming freshmen at Owen Field last week. Chavez addressed the assembled crowd and shared her ambitions for the upcoming season.

Overtime Select shared a clip of her speech on Instagram on Sunday.

"Boomer," Chavez began. "Like (David Surratt) said, Sweet 16 last year. But, we going to the Elite Eight this year. I promise that, I promise that y'all. And I challenge all of you to be at every single home game. Every single one."

Aaliyah Chavez also said Oklahoma has the best freshman class in the nation, which she believes will significantly contribute to achieving the Elite Eight goal.

The Sooners reached the Sweet Sixteen last season for the first time in over a decade. Furthermore, they have not played in Elite Eight since 2010, reflecting a sustained stretch of underperformance that Chavez aims to reverse with her arrival.

Aaliyah Chavez fronts Oklahoma freshman lineup joined by Brooklyn Stewart and Keziah Lofton

The influx of top talent places Oklahoma squarely in the mix of contenders for the college basketball season ahead.

The collective skill set of incoming freshmen Aaliyah Chavez, Brooklyn Stewart and Keziah Lofton, along with international talents Daffa Cissoko and Emma Tolan, heralds a new era for the Sooners.

Chavez, the reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year, had 27 scholarship offers from Division I programs, including Texas, Arizona, USC, LSU and South Carolina. She committed to Oklahoma in March and signed with the team in April.

Chavez played point guard for Monterrey High School in Lubbock, Texas, leading her team to the state championship. She put up 34.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a senior. Her career points reached over 4,700, cementing her legacy as one of the most prolific scorers in high school basketball history.