Basketball: Kiwi prodigy Charlisse Leger-Walker confirms move to US college powerhouse UCLA for final year

Rising Kiwi star Charlisse Leger-Walker has announced she's on the move for her final year of eligibility on the US college basketball scene.

On Friday, Leger-Walker took to social media to confirm her transfer from Washington State to Californian powerhouse UCLA, where she'll play her last season before declaring for the WNBA Draft.

The Tall Ferns guard has spent the last four seasons with Washington State, transforming the women's basketball program into a genuine force.

In 2021, the Tall Ferns guard led them to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years, averaging 18.8 points per game and earning Pac-12 freshman of the year honours.

The Cougars also went to the NCAA tournament in Leger-Walker's sophomore and junior seasons. In 2023, she was named the Pac-12 tournament's most outstanding player, after leading them to that title. 

The 22-year-old is currently recovering from a knee injury which cut her 2023/24 season short and ruled her out of New Zealand's qualifiers for this year's Paris Olympics.

She'll join a UCLA Bruins side that advanced deep into the tournament last month, making it to the Sweet 16 before being eliminated by defending champions LSU and their superstar centre Angel Reese. Playing for the Bruins should allow Leger-Walker more exposure and help boost her draft stocks.

Leger-Walker finishes her Washington State career with average of 16.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 105 career games.

At the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, she became the youngest player to ever represent New Zealand at basketball (16 years old). Her mother Leanne attended the 2000 and 2004 Olympics with the Tall Ferns, and sister Krystal has also represented the team.

Rising Kiwi star Charlisse Leger-Walker has announced she's on the move for her final year of eligibility on the US college basketball scene.

On Friday, Leger-Walker took to social media to confirm her transfer from Washington State to Californian powerhouse UCLA, where she'll play her last season before declaring for the WNBA Draft.

The Tall Ferns guard has spent the last four seasons with Washington State, transforming the women's basketball program into a genuine force.

In 2021, the Tall Ferns guard led them to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years, averaging 18.8 points per game and earning Pac-12 freshman of the year honours.

The Cougars also went to the NCAA tournament in Leger-Walker's sophomore and junior seasons. In 2023, she was named the Pac-12 tournament's most outstanding player, after leading them to that title. 

The 22-year-old is currently recovering from a knee injury which cut her 2023/24 season short and ruled her out of New Zealand's qualifiers for this year's Paris Olympics.

She'll join a UCLA Bruins side that advanced deep into the tournament last month, making it to the Sweet 16 before being eliminated by defending champions LSU and their superstar centre Angel Reese. Playing for the Bruins should allow Leger-Walker more exposure and help boost her draft stocks.

Leger-Walker finishes her Washington State career with average of 16.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 105 career games.

At the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, she became the youngest player to ever represent New Zealand at basketball (16 years old). Her mother Leanne attended the 2000 and 2004 Olympics with the Tall Ferns, and sister Krystal has also represented the team.

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