PORTLAND, Ore.-- One of the next megastars in college basketball is 18-year-old point guard and Oklahoma Sooners commit, Aaliyah Chavez (Uh-Lee-Uh CHAH-vez). She became a global sensation because of her success at Monterey High School, scoring over 4,700 career points and earning awards such as Naismith Player of the Year. After starting her basketball journey by watching from her local park and progressing to playing in tournaments, she’s joining the Sooners, ready to make an immediate impact. With her elite scoring and passing abilities, Oklahoma’s newest incoming freshman will be a key piece to completing their championship puzzle.

Growing up, Chavez was never interested in basketball, but one day, watching the game being played suddenly piqued her interest. At the Nike Hoop Summit, Chavez detailed her basketball journey, highlighting how her determination ultimately paid off.

“My story didn’t start like anybody else’s,” Chavez said. “I saw (some people) playing (basketball) outside in the park one time, and I wanted to try something new. My dad didn’t want me to play. He gave me every conditioning workout, trying to make me quit. I didn’t quit and kept going, and he finally put me in tournaments.”

Although her dad, Sonny Chavez, was adamant about not wanting her to play, she continued pursuing different opportunities to get on the court. Since participating in tournaments, Chavez has shown her skills, and her hard work will bring her success in life. As she completes her historic high school career and transitions to college, Chavez still wants to improve her game. She mentioned how she wants to adjust to the pace of the college game and how it differs from what she’s used to in high school.

“(I want to improve on) playing faster with more elite people,” Chavez said. “High school is not going to be the same as going out and playing with college (athletes).”

Adjusting from high school to college can be difficult for anyone, even for the best player like Chavez. Fortunately, for her, she is joining a talented team led by a coach who has followed her journey since eighth grade. Oklahoma head coach, Jennie Baranczyk (Bah-RON-check), has recruited Chavez since the early stages of her basketball career. When speaking about her new head coach, she mentioned how talking to her at a young age was complicated, but she loves how she leads her team.

“I was young, so I didn’t know how to talk to coaches (during the early recruitment process), and it was complicated at first,” Chavez said. “(Baranczyk)’s so young, and her energy is always there. Everyone doubted her, saying she wasn’t going to make the NCAA Tournament, but she came out and did it.”

Young stars like Chavez tend to develop well with mentorship from a young head coach like Baranczyk, who also likes to silence doubters. Along with being taught by an accomplished coach, she is also joining a talented roster, led by star forward Raegan Beers (Ray-GUN). Chavez expressed her excitement to play with her new teammate, mentioning how their abilities in the pick-and-roll go hand in hand.

“I love a good pick-and-roll, and Raegan (Beers) is going to be a good picker, and no one is going to be able to stop us,” she said. “We’re going to be an unstoppable duo, and we both can’t wait to play with each other.”

Oklahoma is adding a point guard next season in Chavez, who has a long list of accomplishments. One of those accolades is the Gatorade National Player of the Year, joining many other winners like Juju Watkins and Paige Bueckers. Although receiving honors like that is great for any player, it can sometimes come with pressure. Chavez spoke about how she doesn’t feel any type of pressure playing basketball and prioritizes her love of the game over any achievements.

“I don’t feel pressure,” Chavez said. “I just come out and play basketball. It doesn’t matter how many accolades I get; I’m still going to come out and play as hard as I can.”

Evading pressure through success is an ability many young athletes strive to have, which makes them that much greater. Although players like Chavez can let success get to their head, she has the right people around her to keep her eye on the ball. When asked how she stays grounded, she mentioned how her dad never lets her compromise her standards.

“My father is a huge part of (staying level-headed),” she said. “He never lets me settle for anything, so I have to go out there and play as hard as I can each time.”

With her family by her side, Chavez can stay composed and not let too much success distract her from the goal. As she prepares to take her game to the collegiate level, Chavez is ready to compete with the rest of the Sooners for a national championship next season.