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No. 1 ranked prospect Kaleena Smith is one of the hottest names in high school basketball right now. The dynamic 5-foot-6 guard out of Ontario Christian Academy boasts an impressive 32 college offers, with top programs like Kentucky, UCLA, Louisville, LSU, Alabama, UCF, Ohio State and Tennessee in the mix.
On Friday, that list grew as Smith received an offer from Arizona State. She shared the news on her Instagram page, posting a photo of the Sun Devils' logo along with a shot of their home court. In the caption, added:
"After having a great conversation with @coach_mollymiller , I am very blessed to say that I have been re-offered by Arizona State!! Thank you to the coaching staff for believing in me!💛💛"
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The Arizona State offer comes after another offer that Kaleena Smith received on Thursday from coach Larry Vickers and the Auburn Tigers. Smith also shared a post announcing the offer on her Instagram page.
Kaleena Smith will be a quality addition to whichever college program she eventually joins. She's still two years away from completing high school basketball.
As a freshman, Smith averaged 34.9 points, 6.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.2 steals per game. Her standout performance helped lead the Ontario Christian Knights to an impressive 28-5 record and finished first place in the California Southern Section Ambassador Basketball league.
In her sophomore year, Smith again put up elite numbers, averaging 23.2 points, 8.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.5 steals per game. She led the Ontario Christian Knights to an outstanding 30-2 record.
Five-star sophomore Kaleena Smith reflects on being a small guard
At 5-foot-6, Kaleena Smith is the first No. 1 ranked player in ESPN's rankings to stand under 5'10" in the past 20 years. According to ESPN HoopGurlz, the average height for top-ranked players typically hovers just under 6'2".
However, height has never been a limitation for Smith. Instead of seeing it as a setback, she's embraced the challenge and made it her mission to silence the doubters.
"I'm just trying to prove people wrong," Smith shared with The Next. A lot of people see my height and say, 'Oh, she's too small; she won't make it to college. She already hit her ceiling. So, really, just having that mindset around proving people wrong. Whether it's scoring or getting (teammates) involved - I feel like I'm different from everyone else."
In fact, Smith actually believes her height gives her an edge, especially in the defensive aspect of the game.
"I would say there are plenty of advantages on defense," Smith said. "Also being able to get to the rim, get around bigger guards, but also just having the heart of the biggest person on the court. It's heart over height, to be honest."
Kaleena Smith has always been in the spotlight, even before high school basketball. The 16-year is, without a doubt, a special talent, and if she keeps progressing the way she has so far, there's no doubt she's on a path straight to the WNBA.
