UCLA Women's Basketball Makes Top 10 For Elite 2027 Forward

Not only is UCLA women’s basketball one of the best teams in the country this season, sitting atop the Big Ten with a 27-1 record, but head coach Cori Close and her staff have also been finding success on the high school recruiting trail in recent weeks.

Over the past few months, the Bruins have made progress with several of their top targets in the 2027 recruiting class, including a five-star power forward from Nevada who recently named UCLA among her top ten schools.

Five-Star 2027 Power Forward Includes UCLA in Top 10

On Feb. 26, Rivals’ Talia Goodman reported that Nation Williams, a five-star power forward from Centennial High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, had named UCLA as one of her top 10 schools, along with Baylor, Duke, Iowa, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, North Carolina, and Washington.

🚨NEWS🚨 Rivals 5-star PF Nation Williams is down to 🔟 schools, she tells @TaliaGoodmanWBB‼️

Read: https://t.co/DtjSA5xrVf pic.twitter.com/25jkccjHW7
— Rivals (@Rivals) February 26, 2026

UCLA has been pursuing Williams throughout the 2027 cycle, first extending an offer to her in August 2023. Close and her staff have continued to make progress with the young power forward and have now established themselves as one of the top contenders in her recruitment.

Williams is the second 2027 prospect to name UCLA as a finalist in her recruitment, joining five-star forward Eve Long, who included the Bruins in her top five schools in December.

UCLA Women's Basketbal — Jan 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts (51) congratulates guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (5) after a 3-point basket in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

She would be an excellent addition to UCLA’s 2027 class with Rivals ranking her as the No. 12 overall player nationally, the No. 3 power forward, and the No. 1 prospect in the state of Nevada.

Williams comes from a family of talented athletes, and her mother, Natalie Williams, was an All-American in basketball and volleyball at UCLA. After naming her top 10, the Centennial star spoke with Goodman about the program, noting that her family has a strong relationship with the Bruins staff.

UCLA log — Dec 19, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; The UCLA Bruins logo at center court at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“My mom went there, and so we kind of already have that dynamic," Williams told Goodman. “Being able to see her players and her pictures from the past has been super cool. She has a relationship already with the staff, so just already feeling like they’re family.”

Given her mom’s ties to the program, UCLA is in good standing with Williams, though the Bruins will still face heavy competition from her other finalists in the months ahead.

Apr 4, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close reacts during first quarter in a semifinal of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Connecticut Huskies at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

If Close and company can get Williams on campus in Westwood for an official visit and continue making progress in her recruitment, the Bruins should be well-positioned to land one of the top overall prospects in the 2027 class.

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