How Oregon Ducks' Kelly Graves Landed Latest 4-Star Recruit

Oregon Ducks coach Kelly Graves wants to bring the women's college basketball program back to supremacy, and in order to do that, finding the best recruits on the West Coast is a must.

5-9 four-star combo guard Brooklynn Haywood comes from Union in Vancouver, Washington, and is the No. 2-ranked player coming out of the state, according to Rivals. She will be staying close to home for her college ball with the Ducks.

Oregon women’s coach Kelly Graves talks to the crowd during Senior Night after the Ducks defeated Rutgers at Matthew Knight Arena Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

She picked Oregon over the likes of the Houston Cougars, Utah Utes, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Baylor Bears before even taking official visits to all five schools. Haywood will still be pursued heavily by each program as she's the No. 6-ranked combo guard in the country (per Rivals).

The only official visit she has been on was in Waco, Texas, on July 31. Here are the rest of the dates for her other four choices:

Chapel Hill, North Carolina - Aug. 23

Salt Lake City, Utah - Sept. 7

Houston, Texas - Sept. 19

Eugene, Oregon - Sept. 26

During her junior season with Union and summer with the Cal Stars on the Nike EYBL Circuit, Haywood showed off her shot-making abilities that stretch far out to the three-point line.

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Oregon coach Kelly Graves looks for a foul call against USC during the second half at Matthew Knight Arena. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Haywood spoke with Rival's Talia Goodman about just how strong and healthy the relationship is with Graves.

“One thing I will say about Coach Graves is I believe he’s being 100% honest with me. I think that was also a big reason why I trusted him so much, and I liked Oregon so much. I felt like everybody there was just being so honest. He and I have spent so much time on the phone just literally talking about anything, and I feel like that’s made our relationship pretty good because we know about each other and we just talk all the time.”
Brooklynn Haywood via Rivals

This is Graves' second commit in the 2026 class, joining guard La'u Pele Falatea, who is the younger sister of former Oregon Duck Nani Falatea.

Graves is known for developing guards with high IQ not only during his time with the Ducks since 2014, but with the Gonzaga Bulldogs (2000-2014) and Saint Mary's Gaels (1997-2000) as well. Names like New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu, Chicago Sky's Courtney Vandersloot, and Colorado Buffaloes coach JR Payne immediately come to mind.

Mar 7, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach JR Payne looks on during the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

Haywood's connections with current Ducks

Haywood had a previous relationship with now Oregon assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Jerise Freeman when she was on the Utah staff. She was with the Utes from 2021-24 as an assistant coach and co-recruiting coordinator. Before that, Freeman was with the Oklahoma State Cowboys as an assistant coach from 2017-2021.

She also has played with current Duck 5-11 sophomore guard Katie Fiso before, back in their freshman year of AAU basketball. Fiso is from Seattle, Washington, and played her high school ball at Garfield.