Gabby's Insight

🌿𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭

[gabsinsight]

Hey everyone! Welcome to Gabby's Insight 🤍

You can call me Gabby or Gabs--whichever you prefer. I'm currently in school studying sports management, with the goal of becoming an athletic director one day, so this space is something I'm really passionate about eventually building.

This blog is for any and all women's college basketball fans. I'll be mainly covering USC (I'm based in the LA area--plus it's a family thing lol), but I'll also be keeping up with the top recruits, major transfer portal movements, and coaching changes across this upcoming offseason.

I'll be using the access and sources I have to share early insight on things like portal entries, commitments, and other behind the scenes movement. With that being said, for the sake of anonymity, I won't be naming any sources, so please don't ask.

I also want this to be an open and safe space. If you have questions, feel free to use my "ask away" button. If you want to talk more privately, my DMs are always open.

And just as important, I want this to be a space where people can talk basketball freely. Debates are welcome, different opinions are of course welcome, but let's keep it respectful. No bringing up players' personal lives, no unnecessary slander, just basketball.

Glad you're here and hope you stay a while!

[gabsinsight]

Height Observations + My Early Lineup Prediction 👀

Wanted to switch things up a bit and make a post that isn't about recruiting for once lol. I got to watch USC practice within the last week or two, and the thing that became very obvious is that this is a big ass team lmao.

A few height observations:

Juju isn't 6'2, and I don't think she ever was. I'd put her around 6'1-ish.

Kennedy is basically the exact same height as Juju, so I'd call her 6'1 too.

Jazzy is taller than both of them but still a little shorter than Saniyah. She's a true 6'2 in my opinion (and she's said so herself).

Saniyah surprised me the most. She's listed at 6'1, but she's noticeably taller than Jazzy, Juju, and Kennedy, and she's pretty close to Sara Okeke. I'd honestly put her around 6'3.

Sitaya Fagan and Sara Okeke both look much closer to 6'5 than 6'4.

Pania is definitely 6'6.

I don't really question Rian, Ryann, or Brooklyn's listed heights, although Ryann might be just a little shorter.

Overall, USC has great size and versatility this season. To me, the biggest question heading into November is more about figuring out the roles. With this much talent across the roster, I actually think everyone's efficiency should improve because there won't be as much pressure on any one player to carry the load.

My way-too-early lineup prediction:

Not really a PG but I'll just give her that role: Jazzy — Doesn't mind playing a Robin-type role, can facilitate, but needs to greatly work on her handle.

SG: Juju — Still believe is the team's most aggressive three-level scorer and offensive engine.

SF: Kennedy — Her ability to adapt, defend, and make plays makes her the perfect complementary piece.

PF: Saniyah — Great size, physicality, interior scoring, and solid rim protection.

C: Pania or Sara — Both bring size and physicality. I'd give Pania the edge defensively, while Sara is the more polished offensive big.

First players off the bench:

Sitaya

Whoever doesn't start between Pania and Sara

Ryann

Those are my early thoughts based on what I've seen so far.

What do y'all think? I'd love to hear your lineup predictions too.

[gabsinsight]

International Recruiting Update

As most of you probably figured out by now, USC missed out on Kejia Ran. That said, they're still very active on the international market.

If they recruit well enough, I'd expect USC to add one or two late depth pieces before the roster is finalized. Just a reminder: the players below are being evaluated as bench contributors, not high-usage stars. The goal is to add depth without disrupting the balance of the roster.

Here are a few names I've heard are on USC's radar:

Stella Colas | 5'9" Guard (France) Probably the safest fit of the group. I really like her combination of rim pressure, playmaking, and perimeter defense. She reminds me a bit of Julie Vanloo in the way she embraces her role. During a five-game stretch in November 2025, she averaged 6.0 PPG, 5.9 APG, just 1.4 turnovers, and 2.6 steals while shooting 43% from the field. I think she'd be a really solid depth guard.

Buba Ezzine | 6'4" Forward (Japan) Probably my favorite prospect on this list. She's only 17 and still very raw, but the athletic upside is ridiculous. At the 2026 NBA Rising Stars Invitational Finals, she put up 53 points, 35 rebounds (17 offensive), and 4 blocks, and in the same tournament added 38 points and 18 rebounds in another game. Yes, the competition wasn't elite, but that level of dominance is impossible to ignore.

Fatoumata Toure | 5'8" Guard (France) Her biggest strength is her defensive intensity. In the 2025-26 season she averaged 7.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and shot 37.5% from three. She's actually had statistically better seasons, but what makes her valuable doesn't always show up in the box score. She'd be a great defensive addition.

Alesya Talkovskaya | 6'0" SG/SF (Belarus) My second favorite prospect behind Buba. She's widely considered the top U18 prospect in Belarus and is already starting in the country's top professional league. This past season she averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.9 steals. I also think she's probably the most realistic commitment out of everyone listed here.

We're also entering the part of the offseason where the 2027 recruiting class starts making decisions. If y'all are interested, I can start doing recruiting updates for high school prospects the same way I covered the transfer portal.

That's all I've got for now. Fight On! ✌️

[gabsinsight]

USC Recruiting Update 👀

I finally have some news lol.

USC has been taking a closer look at Kejia Ran, a 5’11 guard from China. She’s excellent at getting downhill and finishing at the rim, and while her three-point percentage isn’t eye-popping, she has nights where she can get hot from deep. I’d imagine the spacing at USC could help her become a more consistent perimeter shooter as well.

What really stands out to me is her rebounding. For a 5’11 guard, she’s an exceptional rebounder, which is something USC noticeably lacked at times last season. Her passing is solid, but I actually think her defense is what could separate her from our other combo guard, Ryann Bennett.

If USC lands her, I could definitely see a scenario where she’s in the running for a starting spot.

But anyway, as of right now, her top three schools are USC, Xavier, and Louisville. Stay tuned for more 👀

[gabsinsight]

No don’t worry about not having something big! A little something is better than nothing, especially because I was starting to think they decided they were finished building a roster. I think the last interview Lindsay did where she said the exact same thing about not wanting to disrupt what they already have going on made me think she doing exactly what you said with taking her time and being extremely selective.

But do you have any names from the portal that might be contenders or good fits? I know the last person you mentioned was Sira but I don’t know anyone else.

Sorry, I was waiting to get more info on this before responding, but as of now, coaches and players are in a “break period” so there isn’t much of anything being said. Movement might pick up mid June to July though.

[gabsinsight]

Late Update

Late update, and kind of a random one. I spoke with a few people around USC WBB within the last week, and the sense I got is that they’re still looking to add one or two more players. That could come from hidden gems still left in the portal (yes, there are still plenty of names available) or from the international route.

At the same time, they don’t want to disrupt the balance they’ve already built around with the current roster. So it sounds like they’re being selective rather than rushing into anything.

If I had to guess, they’ll keep evaluating players throughout the summer, the same way they’ve handled past portal additions and, more recently, Gerda.

Sorry I don’t have a bigger scoop for y’all right now 😭

[gabsinsight]

Hi gabby💕

Any news about usc and commits? I know that vernell committed to vandy (I expected) and things have been quiet so I had to check innnn.

No updates as of late. I’ll be back when there are.

[gabsinsight]

Hi gabs! Do you have any usc updates?

I do not unfortunately

[gabsinsight]

hey gabs,

do you know any info on sa’myah smith? i know usc tried to get her last year when she transferred but do you think we have a chance this year? what are some potential schools she is looking at?

All I’ve heard about Sa’Myah recently is her visit to Oklahoma a few weeks ago. I’m not sure if USC is actively pursuing her again, and at the moment I highly doubt they’re currently involved.

But maybe, missing out on Me’Arah could potentially shift things a bit, so I wouldn’t completely rule anything out yet. (I do think her front runner is Oklahoma though).

[gabsinsight]

Ohh okay I seen meezy did commit to Kentucky, which I’m happy for her for. Glad she considered us, but I seen Kentucky coming due to their need for her position and the lack of playing time she’d get with us (more than likely) cause we have a decent amount of forwards. Not too sure the possibility of it, but I think s’myah would be a good person to look at for usc. But either way I’m happy to see who else they’ll get, whether overseas or the portal. I can’t wait for more updates, Thank you gabby!!!

If Me’Arah had committed to USC, she likely would’ve been a starter, especially with her experience compared to a freshman forward. That said, her game is a bit more wing oriented. More perimeter scoring and spacing rather than post work like crashing the glass more and rim protection. It would’ve been great to have her, but I do think she made the right decision for herself in terms of maintaining her preferred role.

As for Sa’Myah, it’s been pretty quiet lately. The last concrete update I heard was her visit to Oklahoma some time ago, but beyond that there hasn’t been much movement or clarity on where things stand.

[gabsinsight]

viv just committed to Florida omg 😞 this is really true…

Have we heard about the other members yet like yakiya ? If I’m sure, it’s just her that needs to commit now right ?

Just to recap—Malia is headed to Indiana, Gerda to Arizona, Dayana to Miami, and Vivian to Florida.

As for Yakiya, she’s leaning toward Clemson at this point.

[gabsinsight]

so me’arah committed to kentucky🫩

is there anyone else we are looking for in the portal???

There is. Right now, they’re pivoting more toward adding bench depth pieces first and then potentially circling back to another big…possibly even going the international route like last offseason, though nothing confirmed there yet.

They’re also actively looking at a solid three-point shooter to add as a rotation piece. One name is Vernell Atamah (6’0, incoming junior) from Northwestern State. I’m actually pretty fond of her as a mid-major fan. She reminds me a bit of Kara Dunn, just a little less consistent defensively.

She does seem fairly close to a decision, with a top three of TCU, Vanderbilt, and USC (not in any particular order).

Another 3&D type they’ve been tracking is Sira Thienou from Ole Miss, though I’m not sure what her top schools are yet or how close she is to deciding.

[gabsinsight]

So would you say meezy to Kentucky is set in stone or basically confirmed? Like should we give up hope and presume her as a wildcat or no?😭

Well yes! … though I know I’m answering this a bit late lol.

In most cases, when I say a player has a clear leading school, that usually ends up being where they commit. Just as a general heads up for future recruits!

[gabsinsight]

https://www.tumblr.com/gabsinsight/814721168134356992/big-oh-committing-to-sc-man-lindsay-need-to

Wait no exactly. I was jokingly complaining about BigO going to sc, but I’m not really that moved?? I think the only real upper hand they’d have on usc is their length, but more-so their vet length and the fact that the best bigs go there. But when you realize damn near the whole team is bigs (or am I trippin? LMAO) they get less impressive looking. Now not to say i think less of their incoming team bc I definitely don’t—I think Dawn will actually go undefeated until mm. But watching everybody cheer at dawn getting bigO—another big—when they was saying usc would fail because of all the guards is weird lol.

I still think sc will be a great, fierce team coming in next season, and it likely will be a great battle between them and usc when it comes. But I think usc still has the better players and they definitely still have a fighting chance at the natty. It’ll be very very interesting to see what next season looks like😭

Agreed 100% lol

[gabsinsight]

https://www.tumblr.com/gabsinsight/814999782078726144/mearah-recruitment-update

That’s so unfortunate, yet so expected😭

Once you said Kentucky was in her top 4, I just knew cause I remember them being one of her tops before she ever committed to Florida. I’d love to hold onto hope but— I’ll just be grateful she considered us🕊️🕊️

I guess that means we have our final usc roster right?

Not necessarily, USC isn’t done yet. They’re still looking to add a 3&D guard(s), and if Me’Arah indeed does end up at Kentucky, they’ll likely pivot to exploring other options. I see them going the overseas route if this does happen. It’ll give them more wiggle room to work.

[gabsinsight]

Me’Arah Recruitment Update

Right now, it’s looking like Me’Arah likely ends up at Kentucky.

She took her Kentucky visit and then went straight to USC over this past weekend. I haven’t heard much coming out of either visit, but as of now, Kentucky seems to have the edge.

[gabsinsight]

Big Oh committing to SC…. Man Lindsay need to recruit meezy even harder now😭😭

Lindsay suh, get back in the portal and work some magic. They doing all this to stop juju Watkins omg😔

With all due respect to SC, I don’t really see Oliviyah having a huge immediate impact there. She’d likely be the third forward/center off the bench, and Dawn typically has a pretty short leash with freshmen. Could she still make an impact if things break right? Sure! But I think some of the concern from USC fans is a bit confusing.

As for USC, they’re currently in a strong position for Me’Arah. They’re set to be her last visit, which should be coming up within the next week or two. I’m a little unsure on the exact timing of her Virginia and UNC visits, so the full timeline is slightly unclear, but she’s definitely getting close to a decision. Now it’s just a matter of waiting it out.