What Savvy Swords' commitment means for Kentucky WBB

On Saturday, Kentucky received its second commitment of the 2026 class from Canadian star Savvy Swords. The top 10 prospect picks the Cats over UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame and Michigan. Here’s what her commitment means for the future of Kenny Brooks‘ program.

Savvy isn’t following her sister to Michigan

Savvy Swords is the sister of Syla Swords, who was one of the best freshmen in the country last season for Michigan. She put up 16.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game on 35.7% shooting from three-point range for the Wolverines.

When her final five consisted of three of the top five programs in the country, the school where her sister goes to, then Kentucky, it seemed a bit unlikely that Kentucky would end up being the choice.

But hey, recruitments happen for a reason, right?

Kenny Brooks can recruit with the best of them

Dawn Staley. Cori Close. Niele Ivey. Three of the best coaches at the helm of three of the best programs in the country, and Kenny Brooks outdid them all.

Mitch Barnhart and UK Athletics have invested a ton of time, money and energy into revamping Kentucky women’s basketball. From the $82 million renovation to Historic Memorial Coliseum to the program’s increased NIL funding to Brooks’ contract being one of the most lucrative in the sport, UK has made it apparent that they want to be among the best when it comes to women’s basketball moving forward.

All of those things combined with Brooks’ natural ability to recruit, and now, he can swing the big hitters.

Just need to lock down a big (looking at you, Olivia Vukosa)

Why have one top 10 prospect when you can have two? Actually, why not have three top 10 prospects?

By securing Swords, Kentucky took care of a big need at the wings. Now, to really round out the 2026 class, Brooks and the staff probably need to go get a big, and there’s no better big to go land than Olivia Vukosa.

The 6-foot-2 post player has narrowed her list of finalists down to seven, which includes South Carolina, North Carolina, Ohio State, LSU, Texas, UConn and of course, Kentucky. That’s an impressive lineup of schools to be recruiting against, but then again, Brooks and the staff did just get Swords in a similar manner.

Swords’ teammate, Emily McDonald, is also a player in the 2026 class that Kentucky could be in on. She took an unofficial visit to Kentucky back in March.

Regardless of who Kentucky will or won’t get in the future, getting Swords was a big one.

Rundown of prospects offered by Kentucky

2026

• 5-star post Olivia Vukosa – No. 3 overall, No. 1 post – Christ the King (FL)
• 5-star point guard Kate Harpring – No. 4 overall, No. 1 point guard – Marist (GA)
• 5-star guard Trinity Jones – No. 7 overall, No. 3 guard – Bolingbrook (IL)
• 5-star point guard Maddyn Greenway – No. 11 overall, No. 2 point guard – Providence Academy (MN) – Committed to Kentucky
• 5-star guard Bella Flemings – No. 12 overall, No. 6 guard – Brennan (TX)
• 5-star wing Savvy Swords – No. 18 overall, No. 4 wing – Long Island Lutheran (NY) – Committed to Kentucky
• 4-star forward Amari Byles – No. 22 overall, No. 4 forward – DeSoto (TX)
• 4-star guard Sanai Green – No. 23 overall, No. 9 guard – Long Island Lutheran (NY) – Committed to Duke
• 4-star forward Kamora Pruitt – No. 24 overall, No. 5 forward – Legion Prep Academy (TX)
• 4-star wing Bella Ragone – No. 28 overall, No. 7 wing – Mill Creek (GA) – Committed to Notre Dame
• 4-star forward Mimi Thiero – No. 35 overall, No. 9 forward – Quaker Valley (PA)
• 4-star guard Emily McDonald – No. 39 overall, No. 13 guard – Long Island Lutheran (NY)
• 4-star guard Whitley Rogers – No. 41 overall, No. 15 guard – Little Rock Christian Academy (AR)

2027

• 5-star guard Ivanna Wilson Manyacka – No. 2 overall, No. 1 guard – Bullis (MD)
• 5-star wing Jordyn Palmer – No. 6 overall, No. 1 wing – Westtown (PA)
• 5-star guard Sydney Savoury – No. 15 overall, No. 4 guard – Belleville (MI)
• 4-star point guard De’Andra Minor – No. 21 overall, No. 3 point guard – Grind Prep Academy (OK)
• 4-star forward Sydney Mobley – No. 22 overall, No. 6 forward – Big Walnut (OH)
• 4-star guard Madeline Mignery – No. 33 overall, No. 11 guard – Cardinal Mooney (FL)
• Forward Isabella Marion – Unranked (international) – Denmark

2028

• 4-star forward Sydney Douglas – No. 2 overall, No. 1 forward – Etiwanda (CA)
• 4-star point guard Chloe Johnson – No. 3 overall, No. 1 point guard – Marshall (MN)
• 4-star wing Ella Peper – No. 4 overall, No. 1 wing – Dexter Southfield (MA)
• 4-star guard Jhaliana Guy – No. 19 overall, No. 10 guard – Bettendorf (IA) – Committed to Stanford
• 4-star guard Erin Thomas – No. 22 overall, No. 11 guard – Princeton (OH)

2029

• Center Jayden McClain – Unranked (no rankings for 2029 yet) – Ryle (KY)

(Rankings from ESPN/HoopGurlz)