Kiki Rice, nation’s No. 2 basketball prospect, commits to UCLA

Kiki Rice, the No. 2 basketball prospect in the country, has committed to UCLA.

Continuing to write my script in Westwood ⁣🐻💙💛
⁣#NextChapter ⁣ pic.twitter.com/VPe1dQdQXv

— Kiki Rice (@kiki_rice0) November 4, 2021

Her commitment makes her the highest-ranked prospect to commit to UCLA since ESPN’s HoopGurlz recruiting database was created in 2007.

The point guard is a two-time USA Basketball gold medalist and was named District of Columbia state player of the year in both basketball and soccer. She had narrowed down her list of schools to Stanford, UConn, Duke and Arizona alongside UCLA. Ultimately, UCLA won out, in what amounts to a boost to both the Bruins and the Pac-12 at large.

Kiki Rice, the No. 2 player in the country, is heading to UCLA 😈 @kiki_rice0 @UCLAWBB pic.twitter.com/jBjQzdOlOZ

— WSLAM (@wslam) November 4, 2021

“A winning culture is super important,” Rice told WSLAM. “I wanna go somewhere where we’re gonna be competing for national championships every year.

“To be at a school where that’s demanded and that’s expected is, I think, super important.”

Additionally, having a close knit team is important, with Rice adding that she wants to make friends for life while also surrounding herself with a good team culture.

“Hopefully they’re gonna be some of my lifelong friends,” she said.

With both of her parents having gone to and played sports at Yale and her brother, Teo Rice, currently on the basketball team there, Rice said education is something that is important to both her and her family.

Rice is finishing up her final year of high school and will attend UCLA next fall.