Syracuse's Felisha Legette-Jack going all in trying to land top-ranked senior Kaleena Smith

It's probably a long shot that Syracuse women's basketball will land the nation's No. 1 senior, Kaleena Smith from California, but I'd never count out SU head coach Felisha Legette-Jack as it pertains to recruiting.

This past Friday, as first reported by Inside the Loud House, Legette-Jack conducted an in-home visit with the 5-foot-6 Smith, who is a five-star point guard and the consensus No. 1 national prospect in the 2027 class.

Smith also took an official visit to the 'Cuse last February, so clearly, there's mutual and significant interest between her and the Syracuse women's basketball program. For context, though, Smith has a lot of suitors; per recruiting analysts, during the late summer and into the fall, she is taking official visits to various teams and also conducting in-home visits.

One potentially important thing to mention is that it appears Smith may not sign during the early period this November, but rather during the regular period next April. Perhaps that could give the 'Cuse staff more time to possibly get Smith on the Hill for another visit before she makes a college decision. We shall see.

Syracuse women's basketball is pushing hard for 2027 5-star PG Kaleena Smith.

Smith, offered a scholarship by the Orange in July 2025, was the MaxPreps national player of the year as a junior in the 2025-26 campaign at the powerhouse Ontario Christian School in Ontario, Calif., near Los Angeles.

She has a name, image and likeness ("NIL") agreement with Adidas. Syracuse, by the way, is a Nike-sponsored program. Is that an issue for the 'Cuse in its attempt to prevail for Smith? Candidly, I don't know, although financial considerations could prove an issue for SU; simply put, other schools pursuing Smith will likely be able to offer her more money, whether we're talking about rev-share or third-party NIL deals.

That being said, while money is likely a big factor for Smith in choosing a future collegiate destination, it may not be everything to her. It's possible that Syracuse could offer something that's solid, but not overly lucrative, and that may be enough for Smith, if she truly wants to play for Legette-Jack and her staff.

According to recruiting analysts, other suitors for Smith include UCLA, which won this past season's national title, UConn, Southern California, Baylor, Louisville, Notre Dame, Washington, Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee, Arizona State, Miami, LSU, California and Texas A&M.

SU's 2027 high school class, as fall has arrived, is coming into focus. This past Friday night, the Orange got on the board in 2027 when one of New York's top seniors, guard Josephine Pinnock, verbally pledged to Syracuse women's basketball.

Earlier this month, 2027 four-star guard Chance Berry, the No. 50 overall player in this class per ESPN, took an official visit to the Orange, and she has SU in her top eight.

Pinnock was a great start. Berry is a fantastic prospect. If Syracuse women's basketball were to land Smith, though, it would arguably be the biggest recruiting win in the program's history. I'm not saying that will happen, but with Legette-Jack at the team's helm, you never know.

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