Saniyah Hall will give USC women’s basketball trio of superstars

Saniyah Hall should fit right in at USC.

The nation’s top female basketball recruit in the 2026 high school class is quick to flash a two-finger Victory Salute and speaks glowingly about her future Trojans coaches and teammates.

Most importantly, along with her elite scoring skills and ability to play shooting guard and small forward, she already has developed animosity toward that other team across town.

“When I stepped on campus,” Hall told The California Post on Friday morning, “I was already feeling it because it was a whole bunch of UCLA hate and vice versa, so I’m just excited.”

Another way that she’ll immediately feel at home is by looking around the locker room. Hall is USC’s third No. 1 prospect in four years  — and they’ll all play together next season.

Jazzy Davidson is coming back for her sophomore year, and JuJu Watkins will return from the torn knee ligament that has sidelined her since she went down during the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

The 6-foot-1 Hall smiled when asked if she had daydreamed about playing alongside Watkins and Davidson as part of a super team.

“That’s kind of what drew me to USC,” she said, “is being able to play with such high-level players. I think both of them have great IQ on the basketball court — they’re very high-level in knowing what to do on the court, what reads to make and everything like that.” 

The trio will be joined by five-star Spanish forward-center Sara Okeke and freshman forward Sitaya Fagan, who joined the Trojans in January as an early enrollee to train with the team. USC received another commitment Friday from Pania Davis, a 6-6 center from Florida State who should significantly bolster the frontcourt.

“I think we can be really special, and once we get there [on campus],” Hall said, “I feel like we can have a chance to win a national championship.”

Hall’s commitment sparked a question: How is it possible for one team to score so many recruiting wins and stack so much talent? Hall credited USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb for a pitch that included much more than raising a banner.

“Just being able to come to USC and not only succeed on the basketball court but off the basketball court,” Hall said, “because one day the ball will stop bouncing, so being able to be set for life when you’re off the basketball court.” 

A native of Ohio, Hall was in Southern California to compete in the Jordan Brand Classic on Friday evening at El Camino College in Torrance. She’s a regular on the all-star circuit, having already played alongside Davidson and returning USC guard Kennedy Smith on the under-19 national team.

If all goes as planned, she’ll help the Trojans overtake LA’s current top team, coming off its own special season.

“Obviously, UCLA won,” Hall said, referring to the Bruins’ national title, “but we’re going to get it next year.”