With Saniyah Hall Commitment, USC Continues Recruiting Prowess

In May 2021, Lindsay Gottlieb stepped down as a Cleveland Cavaliers assistant to become the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Southern California. For the Trojans, it was a coup luring one of the sport’s best coaches back to the college game. And for Gottlieb, it was a chance to return to the state where she had made a mark as Cal’s head women’s coach, leading the Bears to seven NCAA tournament appearances in eight seasons.

So far, the partnership has worked out well for both sides, and it seems likely to continue to thrive in the coming years.

On Friday, high school senior Saniyah Hall, a 6-foot-1 guard and ESPN’s No. 1 recruit, committed to USC during an appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today” show. She said that she felt at “home” at the school and “loved” her future teammates. She also praised the coaching staff, including Gottlieb.

“She’s definitely there just to support me,” Hall said. “I’ve built a relationship with her. She’s a great coach.

Hall, who led the U.S. to the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup title this month, is the latest high school star to commit to USC. JuJu Watkins, the No. 1 recruit in the high school Class of 2023, signed with USC and became an instant sensation. Watkins was a first team All-American as a freshman and the national player of the year last season as a sophomore. Watkins, a 6-foot-2 guard who grew up near USC’s campus, is averaging 25.5 points per game in her career. No player in women’s basketball history has scored more points (1,709) than Watkins did in her first two seasons.

Watkins sustained a serious knee injury during the NCAA tournament in March, and it is unknown when she will return. But if she is able to get back on the court sometime this season, she will be joining another potential star in Jazzy Davidson, an incoming freshman and the No. 1 recruit in the high school class of 2025.

Davidson, a 6-foot-1 guard, played at Clackamas High School in Oregon, about 10 miles from Portland. She was a four-time Gatorade state player of the year and excelled on the national and international stage, including winning gold with Team USA in the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup and the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, where she averaged 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3 steals per game and made second-team all-tournament.

At the U19 World Cup, Davidson started alongside Hall, who was named the Most Valuable Player after averaging 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game and helping the U.S. win each of its seven games.

Hall, who played last season at Montverde Academy in Florida, recently transferred to SPIRE Academy in her home state of Ohio. Hall’s other college finalists were UCLA, North Carolina and South Carolina.

When Hall arrives at USC in the fall of 2026, the Trojans could have three overall No. 1 recruits on their roster. Watkins is not eligible to enter the WNBA draft until 2027, so if the rules remain in place she will spend one season playing with Davidson and Hall. If healthy, that trio should be among the best in the nation and keep USC back in the mix for an NCAA championship, which was unheard of in the 30 years before Gottlieb arrived.

USC did win back-to-back national titles in 1983 and 1984, the second and third years that the NCAA hosted a women’s basketball tournament. The Trojans also lost in the 1986 national title game and advanced to the Elite 8 in 1992 and 1994. But when Gottlieb arrived in 2021, USC had not made the tournament since 2014 and had won only two tournament games in the previous 27 years.

After USC went 12-16 in Gottlieb’s first season, the Trojans have made the NCAAs in each of the past three seasons, including as No. 1 seeds in 2024 and 2025 when they lost in the Elite 8 both times. This past season, the Trojans experienced a disappointing blow when Watkins sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the second round. With Watkins out, it was too much for the Trojans, who lost to eventual national champion UConn.

While Watkins recovers from her injury, the Trojans will be under the radar a bit entering the season. Still, they do have some talented players with Davidson as well as sophomore guard Kennedy Smith (9.5 points per game last season) and transfer guards Kara Dunn (Georgia Tech) and Londynn Jones (UCLA). If Watkins can return close to or at full strength, USC should be back among the best in the country entering the NCAAs. And with the way Gottlieb is recruiting and coaching, the Trojans should remain an elite program just as the women’s game continues to see more interest from fans and sponsors alike.