Aaliyah Chavez Chooses Oklahoma, Leaving Texas Tech Fans Wondering What Could Have Been
No matter where her basketball journey takes her, Aaliyah Chavez will always be remembered as one of the most talented athletes to come out of Lubbock. However, it now appears that her playing career will take her beyond her hometown.
For a while, there was hope that Chavez would stay and continue her legacy at Texas Tech. The Monterey High School star kept the Lady Raiders in contention until the final stages of her recruitment, fueling dreams that the nation’s top-ranked player might lead Tech back to national prominence. It was a storyline that felt like something out of a movie—a hometown hero resurrecting a once-great program.
But in reality, that was always more of a longshot than a legitimate possibility. Chavez officially ended the speculation on Tuesday, announcing her commitment to Oklahoma, a former Big 12 rival. Her final list of six schools included LSU, South Carolina, Texas, Texas Tech, and UCLA—a group stacked with national powerhouses.
Five of those programs reached the Sweet 16 in this year’s NCAA Tournament, and four advanced to the Elite Eight. Texas Tech, on the other hand, failed to even make the field.
That stark contrast in program success likely played a major role in Chavez’s decision. It’s not just about this season, either—programs like South Carolina, LSU, and Texas are perennial championship contenders, while the Lady Raiders haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2013.
During the four years Tech recruited Chavez, the program only made two postseason appearances, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2023 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) and this year’s Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). While those runs were signs of progress, they simply don’t compare to competing on the sport’s biggest stage.
The reality is that Texas Tech’s current standing makes it difficult to land a player of Chavez’s caliber—the kind of recruit who could single-handedly change the program’s trajectory. But that presents a catch-22: to become nationally relevant again, Tech needs elite talent; yet, without recent success, attracting that talent is an uphill battle.
One of the only ways to break that cycle is by securing a hometown star willing to take on the challenge. Chavez seemed like the perfect candidate for that role, which makes her decision all the more painful for Texas Tech fans.
Throughout her recruitment, Chavez emphasized that she wanted to play for a coach she connected with and in a fast-paced system that fits her game. Texas Tech head coach Krista Gerlich is widely respected as a players’ coach, and by all indications, Chavez felt comfortable with her. However, the Lady Raiders’ offensive system didn’t align perfectly with Chavez’s style of play, and while Gerlich is certainly capable of adapting, it wasn’t enough to sway the nation’s No. 1 recruit.
Ultimately, Chavez is moving on, and Texas Tech is left searching for answers. While missing out on a generational talent like her stings, the Lady Raiders must now refocus on closing the gap between where they are and where they want to be—so that next time, a player like Chavez sees Texas Tech as the best choice, not just the sentimental one.
Leave a Reply