Recruiting Class Rankings Shift After USC Lands 5-Star Sara Okeke

USC Trojans' women's basketball continues to dominate the 2026 recruiting trail with their latest commit, forward Sara Okeke, becoming their third five-star in the 2026 class as the Trojans land No. 1 recruiting ranking and build a future contender.

Dec 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lindsay Gottlieb reacts in the first half against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Galen Center. USC defeated Fresno State 89-40. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Despite inconsistencies with winning on the court this season, USC Trojans women's basketball has found a dominant rhythm off the floor amongst the recruiting ranks. Tuesday evening, USC landed their third five-star commitment in the 2026 class with 6-foot-4 Spanish forward Sara Okeke choosing the Trojans over the Kentucky Wildcats, Texas Longhorns and Indiana Hoosiers.

With that, the Trojans now sit at No. 1 in ESPN's 2026 recruiting rankings while joining Texas as the only programs with three signed five-stars. USC may not have had the kind of success this season that they have become accustomed, but they are stacking the deck in a way where they have the chance to run the table for a long time.

The top of the class rankings has changed with the commit. USC's class ranks No. 1, Texas ranks No. 2, Duke Blue Devils rank No. 3, South Carolina ranks No.4 and Notre Dame ranks No. 5.

Why Sara Okeke Chose USC

Feb 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lindsay Gottlieb during the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Okeke’s recruitment carried an international angle and real uncertainty. After moving to DME Academy in the United States for her final high school season, there was legitimate buzz about whether she would bypass college entirely and pursue a professional route overseas.

Instead, USC made the strongest impression when it mattered most. In an interview with ESPN, Okeke pointed to comfort and development as the deciding factors.

“I chose USC because as soon as I stepped on the campus I felt at home,” Okeke said. “The coaching staff and the players are exactly what I am looking for, and I know they'll push me to grow, on and off the court. I cannot wait to be a part [of] and impact this special program.”

With some of the changes in college recruiting including the transfer portal and NIL accomodations, searching for talent overseas has become more of a common practice over the last two recruiting cycles. In this class alone we have seen a few highly talented foreign-born players elect to experience the college route including Australian five-star Sitaya Fagan who signed with the Trojans late last year and European five-star forward Isi Etute with the Longhorns.

USC is no longer simply just attracting top talent from in the states. They are now being viewed as a powerhouse with international pull amongst elite prospects as well. A game changer in today's basketball environment where overseas talent is beginning to quickly catch up with those in the United States.

What Okeke Brings On the Floor

USC Trojans head coach Lindsay Gottlieb reacts to the action Saturday, March 8, 2025, in a semifinals game at the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Okeke isn't just a ranking boost, she's a productive star that actually fits a real positional hole on the roster. At DME Academy, she’s averaging 17 points and 7 rebounds while shooting nearly 70 percent from the field, a level of efficiency that immediately translates to high-level competition.

Zoom out, and her international resume adds even more weight. Okeke was named MVP of the 2025 FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket after averaging 13.8 points on 57 percent shooting and over seven rebounds per game, leading Spain to gold.

This season, although rebounding has not been an issue for the Trojans, it comes from an unlikely source. Of the team's top five rebounders this season, led by Jazzy Davidson (5.7), three of the five play the guard position. The lack of a real paint presence is something that USC has been lacking this season and Okeke alongside 6-foot-4 Sitaya Fagan provides some much needed size to roster full of talented guards.

A Loaded Class With Real Expectations

Canton South's Summer Hastings-Peterson tries to contain Laurel standout Saniyah Hall in the third quarter of OHSAA Division II District Semifinals at Nordonia High School. Wednesday, February 28, 2024. | Julie Vennitti Botos / Canton Repository / USA TODAY NETWORK

Okeke now joins a class that already includes Fagan and No. 1 overall recruit Saniyah Hall. Add in returning stars like JuJu Watkins, Jazzy Davidson, and Kennedy Smith, and USC’s roster construction starts to look like a Final Four blueprint rather than a rebuild.

There’s also context that makes this class even more important. Watkins’ torn ACL in the 2025 NCAA Tournament shifted expectations this season, with USC entering March Madness as a No. 9 seed. But with a stacked class like this, the focus clearly shifts toward what this program can become next year.

Simply put, USC is building a national contending team with a starting five full of future WNBA talents. That's not just a good look for their future title odds, but also for their future sales pitches to other recruits moving forward.

With a healthy Juju Watkins returning alongside another national Freshman of the Year in Jazzy Davidson, Kennedy Smith and three highly touted five-stars, the Trojans will have exponenitially high expectations next year. The Trojans haven't reached the Final Four since 1986, but with this collection of talent, that drought may soon be coming to an end.

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