Five-Star Nyla Brooks Finds Home, Seeks Growth At UNC

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Every day, Nyla Brooks greets head coach Courtney Banghart with a hug and smile before repeating the same two goals as a daily mantra. 

“I’m here to do two things, coach: Get better and learn,” the star freshman tells her coach.

One of four freshmen who compose the eighth-youngest roster in women’s basketball this season, Brooks is North Carolina’s highest-ranked recruit from its 2025 class per ESPN. The five-star guard ranked 13th in her class coming out of Bishop Ireton in Waldorf, MD, where she averaged 18.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists her senior year. Brooks looks to make an immediate impact for the Tar Heels, who, despite their youth, enter the year ranked No. 11 in the preseason AP poll. 

“She’s got an enormous sense of inner confidence, but she’s really joyful, and she’s allowing things to come to her,” Banghart said. “As an All-American who is at Carolina, she’s all the things you’d want.”

Brooks initially committed to Tennessee her freshman year of high school, but reopened her recruitment after the Volunteers fired head coach Kellie Harper in 2024. North Carolina immediately reached out to Brooks, who said one phone call with Banghart locked her in. 

The Maryland native then toured UNC’s campus and facilities before later returning with her mom, siblings and cousins — all of whom agreed Chapel Hill was the place for her. 

“My sister was like, ‘Yeah, this is where you gonna be.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s where I’m gonna be at too,’” Brooks recalled. “I just fell in love with the sisterhood here (and) the coaching staff.” 

What sold Banghart and her staff on Brooks was a visit to her high school that the head coach took while she was there. However, on the trip, Banghart never saw Brooks dribble a basketball. 

Instead, Banhart walked from class to class, meeting with all of her high school teachers and several administrators to ask about Brooks. From these conversations, Banghart learned all she needed to know about the recruit.  

“Everybody feels the way I feel about Nyla Brooks,” Banghart said. “Like, ‘Oh my God, I love this kid.’ And so I knew she was coming from a great community.”

Known as a natural scorer, the biggest adjustment for Brooks since coming to Chapel Hill has been on the defensive side of the ball. The McDonald’s All-American said getting stronger, holding her ground and not getting bullied around was a focus over the summer and preseason.

Still confident in her offensive game, Brooks dubbed herself “Nyla Buckets”, but admitted she needed to step up defensively. 

Junior guard Reniya Kelly has already seen that growth. It’s been the veteran Kelly who’s helped Brooks and another freshman guard, Taliyah Henderson, learn how to play defense at the collegiate level. 

“In high school, you really don’t play defense, and she actually has to play defense here, and I think she’s learning that now,” Kelly said. “Her growth has been strictly defense… She’s a long person, and she can defend. So we’re actually teaching her that.”

Brooks and No. 11 North Carolina will face off against No. 2 South Carolina for a preseason exhibition in Atlanta on Oct. 30, before its season opener at home on Nov. 3 against N.C. Central at 11 A.M.

With only four upperclassmen represented on the roster for North Carolina, it’s clear Banghart will look to freshmen like Brooks for rotational minutes. Despite her inexperience at the college level, the guard seems ready. 

Her outgoing personality has won over teammates and coaches off the court, while her no-nonsense approach to improvement and a willingness to do whatever it takes to help UNC balance her upbeat demeanor. 

“It’s not about her; it’s about her getting better to help this team, and she’s not wasting time on things that don’t matter,” Banghart said. “Like, ‘Oh, did I? Did I do everything right today? It’s like, let’s focus on what you did right, and let’s learn the things we didn’t do right. You guys are going to be really happy to have her in Carolina Blue.”