More than ten years ago, venture capitalist Aileen Lee popularized the term “unicorn” in the financial world, framing it as a representation of extraordinary circumstances. If Investopedia suggested that Aileen Lee was a Texas high school basketball coach detailing game plans against Aaliyah Chavez, I’d be all in on that idea.
Chavez, a 5-foot-11 senior guard at Monterey High School in Lubbock, Texas, is on the brink of stepping into some unique financial waters. By Lee’s standards, she represents the very essence of a unicorn both on and off the court.
Naturally, it’s easy to shower someone with compliments and excitement when they hold the title of No. 1 in their field. Chavez is currently recognized as the nation’s premier high school girls basketball recruit for the 2025 class and has maintained this status for quite some time. She is destined to earn significant money and will attract a large audience eager to witness her skills at the national level.
However, there’s always a “but.” Chavez is not your typical No. 1 recruit. When her high school career concludes, she will be remembered as one of the most outstanding female basketball players at this level. Yet, for now, her journey continues, especially after Monterey secured the Region 1-5A Division II championship on February 21, marking their first advancement to the state semifinals since 1990.
As per MaxPreps, Chavez has amassed a remarkable 4,767 career points, making her 16th all-time in scoring for high school girls basketball. With her next points during the upcoming game against Frisco Memorial in Tuesday’s Class 5A-II state semifinal, which is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m., she will move up to 15th place.
Chavez has consistently scored over 1,000 points in each of her high school seasons, including 1,412 points over 40 games this season. Intriguingly, her scoring totals during the regular season surpassed the total points of five complete teams that Monterey faced.
She notched 50 points for the ninth time in her career during last Tuesday’s 76-40 region semifinal victory versus Fort Worth Brewer, tallying 19 points in the second quarter and 18 in the fourth.
This season marks the third occasion Chavez has reached the 50-point milestone. She also scored 53 points against Pampa on December 26, as part of a staggering 124-point performance at the Caprock Classic, and dropped 50 against Lubbock Coronado on January 7.
She recorded a career-high of 57 points in an 80-56 victory over Plano on November 16, 2023. Throughout this season, Chavez has recorded at least 40 points in 15 out of her 39 games, scoring 30 or more points in 29 games.
Remarkably, even when she had a lesser game, scoring just 17 points against No. 8 Argyle in the Division II Region 1-5A final on February 21, Chavez’s career average dropped by just half a point, from 35.8 to 35.3 points per game.
Yet, the manner in which she performed, and the audience she impressed, was noteworthy.
Considered one of the strongest high school girls defenses in Texas, Argyle came into the game limiting opponents to an average of only 32.0 points per game, and clearly focused their strategy on shutting down Chavez, frequently double- and triple-teaming her throughout the match.
Despite their best efforts, Chavez’s off game still outperformed most players’ shining moments, as Monterey still put up the highest score against Argyle that season, showcasing an impressive highlight reel and securing the victory.
Texas women’s basketball coach Vic Shaefer continued to highlight his understanding of the nation’s top talent. Post-game, he was seen beaming while engaging with Lady Plainsmen head coach Jill Rankin Schneider – a former Texas assistant, member of the 1980 USA Women’s Olympic team, and inductee into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Meanwhile, he has successfully steered his No. 2 Longhorns to a commendable 26-2 record this season, all while keeping a keen eye on Chavez. They are 12-1 in the SEC, sharing the top of the standings with No. 6 South Carolina, which boasts an overall record of 23-3. Yet, Shaefer’s competition with Dawn Staley goes beyond mere rankings.
Texas and South Carolina remain among the final four contenders still involved in Chavez’s recruitment, following Talia Goodman of On3 reporting that UCLA has withdrawn from the race. Previously, Goodman noted that LSU had also exited after it was suggested that Chavez’s camp was seeking a $1 million NIL deal.
With other competitors stepping back, Texas appears to hold a strong position in this ongoing recruitment saga.
the Longhorns, although Jennie Baranczyk and her team at No. 16 Oklahoma are still regarded as a sleeper pick by some analysts.
Recent weeks have enhanced everyone’s odds when On3 revealed that UCLA is no longer in the running for Chavez.
Among the finalists, the outlier is undoubtedly Texas Tech. The Lady Raiders, the sole unranked contender, find themselves in a tenuous situation, currently standing at 14-15 overall, with a disappointing 3-13 record in the Big 12 this season. If Chavez decides to take her talents elsewhere, it could spell considerable trouble for their program.
The Lady Raiders desperately require a game-changer like Chavez. She has the potential to not only elevate the team’s performance but also to inspire significant cultural change within the program.
Her impact is already apparent at Monterey High School, where she has transformed a program that just made its first state semifinal appearance in 35 years, gaining recognition from the thousands who follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Simply being in the contention for one of the nation’s elite players brings good publicity to Texas Tech—regardless of the critics who perceive this as merely a courtesy for her local team—however, such exposure diminishes quickly if she opts for another program.
The grim reality is that while the Lady Raiders are attempting to find stability within the Big 12, the other contenders on Chavez’s shortlist—all of which are currently ranked—are making significant strategic moves.
Chavez has expressed her desire for a program with a consistent coaching staff, stating to On3, “I don’t want a coach that’s low energy. I need to make sure that they’re going to be there the whole time. I don’t want a coach that’s just going to be there for two years. … I want them to be there all four years.”
With this in mind, Texas Tech should have its antennas up as they navigate the season amid her candid sentiments.
While opinions may vary amidst the ever-changing coaching landscape, Baranczyk, Staley, and Schaefer have all recently secured contract extensions that will keep them at their respective schools through the 2030 seasons.
Conversely, questions loom over Tech, where head coach Krista Gerlich finds herself in the final year of her five-year, $2.9 million contract signed in 2020, which is reportedly set to expire on May 30, 2025.
To this point, Gerlich has compiled a record of 72-80 under that contract, with the team’s best finish being 20-15 in the 2022-2023 season, leading them to the Super 16 round of the WNIT.
In a recent column by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on January 13, Gerlich addressed her team’s offense struggles and promised to seek solutions. At that time, the Lady Raiders boasted a 12-6 record but have since plummeted to 2-9, with their latest effort yielding a heart-wrenching 61-60 loss to UCF, which now stands at 10-16, on February 22.
Now, much hinges on Texas Tech’s decision regarding Gerlich’s fate. Chavez has had a strong recruiting relationship with Gerlich and her staff for several years, indicating a personal connection.
Without an extension on the horizon, Texas Tech appears inclined to let Gerlich’s contract lapse instead of making a difficult decision to cut ties with one of its own legends. It’s also possible they are awaiting Chavez’s verdict before finalizing their own strategy.
Regardless, this state of uncertainty may contribute to why Chavez remains one of the few uncommitted recruits left on the ESPN HoopGurls rankings for 2025, alongside No. 4 Agot Makeer from Montverde Academy in Florida.
If Texas Tech manages to secure a commitment from such a high-profile player, it would undoubtedly astonish many, though history doesn’t rule it out. Last July, Texas Tech’s Matador Club collective negotiated a one-year deal with Stanford transfer and USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year ace NiJaree Canady, valued at around $1,050,024.
Canady’s signing sent shockwaves, especially considering it followed back-to-back appearances in the Women’s College World Series by the Lady Cardinal, whereas the Lady Raiders haven’t reached a Women’s College World Series or the NCAA tournament since 2019. However, its significance was primarily tied to…
surprising, as it easily outperformed competitors in terms of overall NIL value for college softball players.
While million-dollar NIL deals are becoming more common, they are still an uncommon occurrence for college athletes, particularly beyond the realm of football. Chavez, though, is reportedly aiming for an NIL agreement in that million-dollar arena.
At present, that sounds like a substantial sum. And without a doubt, it is. However, looking ahead two or three years, it’s hard to imagine that a standout like Chavez won’t deliver on that investment.
Throughout her impressive career, the Naismith Girls Basketball Player of the Year Award finalist, McDonald’s All-American, and Mamba Invitational MVP boasts totals of 4,757 points, 1,269 rebounds, 762 assists, 472 steals, and 132 blocks, and her per-game averages of 35.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks come from 148 games played.
In fact, her career average dipped by half a point after she totaled 17 points against Argyle. She’s been that exceptional.
With women’s college basketball experiencing unprecedented visibility, Chavez is poised to further enhance that spotlight. We can only wait to see if the affluent will indeed get more prosperous or if Texas Tech will achieve a remarkable coup.
Corraling a unicorn certainly seems quite a challenge.
Texas Tech better get moving.
