BIRMINGHAM, AL — Lady Vols basketball hosted the No. 1 prospect in the 2027 class on Oct. 13.
Five-star point guard Kaleena Smith posted photos wearing a Lady Vols jersey from her unofficial visit on Instagram on Oct. 15. The 5-foot-6 prospect is one of the most sought-after players in the nation.
Advertisement
Smith is a talented scorer, and she turned heads as a freshman when she averaged 34.9 points for Ontario Christian outside of Los Angeles. As a sophomore, she averaged 23.2 points, 8.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 4.5 steals.
Smith is one of three women’s basketball prospects Adidas signed in May. Lady Vols legend Candace Parker is the president of Adidas women’s basketball, and Tennessee will return to the brand as its official apparel provider in 2026. The blockbuster deal also will bring NIL benefits to Tennessee athletes.
Five-star 2026 forward Oliviyah Edwards, who committed to the Lady Vols in September, was one of the other three women’s basketball players to sign with Adidas this spring.
Advertisement
Smith is the second top-10 prospect in the 2027 class the Lady Vols have hosted this fall, the other being five-star forward Eve Long for an unofficial visit in September. The 6-3 Long, who is ranked No. 8 in the 2027 class, plays for Olathe South High School in Kansas.
Smith’s visit adds to the Lady Vols’ recruiting momentum going into coach Kim Caldwell’s second season. She and her staff signed the No. 2-ranked 2025 class last year, and they’re off to a strong start in the 2026 class with the commitment of Edwards, who’s ranked No. 2 in the class.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Kaleena Smith, No. 1 prospect in 2027, takes unofficial visit with Lady Vols
