One of many greatest stars in ladies’s school basketball is hitting the switch portal after a disappointing first-round exit within the 2026 NCAA match.
Audi Crooks has entered her title within the switch portal after a stellar three-year profession with the Iowa State Cyclones. Crooks can be eligible to enter the 2026 WNBA Draft, but when she decides to remain in school, she is perhaps probably the most coveted participant within the portal for her ultimate 12 months of eligibility.
Crooks is a 6’3 massive who is likely one of the most dominant inside scorers within the sport. She averaged 25.8 factors per sport this season which was second in DI behind solely Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes. Even higher, Crooks shot 65 % from the sector, making her one of the vital environment friendly scorers within the nation. Crooks was additionally fourth within the Large 12 this 12 months with 7.7 rebounds per sport. She made a career-best 73 % from the free throw line.
Crooks has some shortcomings defensively, and is usually a difficult participant to suit into an current staff construction. She ideally must be paired with a cell entrance court docket companion who affords just a little extra rim safety. She additionally solely made one three-pointer this 12 months, so she’s not precisely a flooring spacer.
Nonetheless, Crooks is such an ideal scorer and so environment friendly together with her touches that she’s going to demand some big affords within the switch portal. Listed below are 5 faculties that must be .
TCU is thought for going after massive names within the switch portal: they landed Hailey Van Lith from LSU for her ultimate season, after which snatched Olivia Miles from Notre Dame for her final 12 months of school eligibility. May it occur once more with Crooks? The Horned Frogs made the Elite Eight this 12 months earlier than getting run over by No. 1 seed South Carolina, they usually may undoubtedly use extra expertise within the entrance court docket. Marta Suarez is probably going out of eligibility after 5 school seasons, however 6’7 sophomore middle Clara Silva may return. Silva and Crooks could possibly be an superior entrance court docket. TCU is extra recognized for placing its assets into high-level guards, and it’ll want one other one with Miles getting into the WNBA, however throwing a bag at Crooks could be good enterprise.
There’s already a lot star-power at USC. Why not add yet one more massive title? USC may have JuJu Watkins coming back from her torn ACL subsequent 12 months. It should even have freshman star Jazzy Davidson getting into her sophomore season. The Trojans struggled this 12 months with out Watkins partially as a result of they didn’t have a lot dimension or expertise within the entrance court docket. Including Crooks would change that. Think about Watkins and Davidson paired with a low-post monster — it could possibly be electrical. On the similar time, there’s just one basketball to go round, and Crooks’ addition may complicate the spacing. USC is perhaps higher suited to go after “soiled work” fashion bigs as an alternative of quantity scorers, however Crooks is so proficient that I feel this might work out properly.
Texas is a wagon that simply made the the Closing 4. It has a star in Madison Booker, and the 6’1 ahead may have yet one more 12 months of eligibility remaining. Booker can house the ground even when she had a tough taking pictures 12 months from three, and including a star middle like Crooks subsequent to her could possibly be very best. Present massive Kyla Oldacre is probably going out of eligibility after this match run ends after 4 school seasons. Justice Carlton may return within the entrance court docket for her junior 12 months. Crooks would give Texas a special look than Oldacre as extra of a scorer as an alternative of a defender, however the staff’s perimeter protection must be adequate to insulate her. I really like the thought of Crooks in Texas.
Notre Dame Preventing Irish
Notre Dame badly wanted entrance court docket expertise this season. The Irish nonetheless made the Elite Eight due to star level guard Hannah Hidalgo, however they have been blown out by UConn with Sarah Robust crushing them on the inside to finish their season. Crooks would give the Irish a special dimension than the staff’s small-ball look this season, however it could possibly be value sacrificing some spacing to herald a lethal paint scorer. Crooks and Hidalgo collectively could be a must-see duo.
LSU had a heartbreaking loss to Duke within the Candy 16 this 12 months, however ought to return staff once more subsequent season. Kim Mulkey is aware of the way to pull superstars out of the switch portal, and Crooks will possible be the most important star obtainable this 12 months. The Tigers principally performed a small-ball look this season with their top-five scorers all listed as guards. Large Amiya Joyner must be out of eligibility, and 6’2 ahead Grace Knox may have an opportunity for an enormous sophomore leap. I really like the thought of placing Crooks within the entrance court docket and letting LSU’s athletic perimeter deal with the protection round her.
