Breaking Down Charlisse Leger-Walker's On-Court Impact

Charlisse Leger-Walker has emerged as one of UCLA’s most important players, and the heart of the No. 3 Bruins.

When you think of notable Bruins from this season there are plenty that come to mind. The mighty Lauren Betts, the sharpshooters of Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens, and the all-around great Kiki Rice. However, there is one player that falls under the radar and for no good reason: Charlisse Leger-Walker.

Why She Cannot Be Replaced

Dec 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Katie Fiso (2) drives past UCLA Bruins guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (5) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

What makes the Bruins so deadly is the immense depth they hold. This, in turn, has allowed the Bruins to be very flexible with their lineups, often not having to make difficult decisions due to how stacked they are as a team.

In the paint, the Bruins have three players who can be imposing: Lauren and Sienna Betts, along with Angela Dugalic. If they are looking for efficient shooters, they have Kneepkens and Jaquez. However, if they are looking for a high-level court general, Leger-Walker stands above them all.

While Kiki Rice possesses a similar skill set, Leger-Walker’s basketball IQ sets her apart. This is no slight to Rice, who has been one of UCLA’s best players this season. But is it clear that Leger-Walker has a skill set that has made UCLA into a top-three team in the entire nation.

UCLA’s offensive identity has been built on facilitation. Ranking third nationally in assists per game, the Bruins sit ninth in points per game, a level of efficiency made possible by Leger-Walker’s control of the offense. Her feel for the court is simply irreplaceable.

This season Leger-Walker is averaging 8.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists (leads team), and 1.8 steals (leads team), while shooting a very good 45.6% from the field. While it is clear that she lacks in the scoring department, her ability to make an impact elsewhere consistently is something the Bruins need.

Her scoring has been her only real critique this season; however, her role simply does not require her to score as much as the other. But when she does score it is lethal. Earlier this season against Duke, she scored 20 points on 54.5% shooting, and recently against Nebraska, she scored 14 on 71.4% shooting.

While the Bruins are loaded with talent, Charlisse Leger-Walker has proven to be the backbone of one of the nation’s best teams. Her role moving forward will be crucial to any postseason success UCLA hopes to achieve.

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