Barely two days after losing to eventual champions UConn and crashing out of the NCAA tournament, USC lost its first player to the transfer portal, Avery Howell. Howell was quickly joined in the portal by Kayleigh Heckel and Aaliyah Gales. Howell and Gales’ hitting the portal came as no surprise.
However, Heckel averaged 16.9 minutes and 6.1 points per game as a true freshman. With three of USC’s starting five graduating and star guard Juju Watkins tearing her ACL, Heckel was primed to play more minutes and take on a bigger role, but she decided to hit the portal instead.
Is Kayleigh Heckel Heading to UConn?
On April 3, Heckel announced her decision to enter the transfer portal, and while it has been rumored that UConn is one of her favorite landing spots, she hasn’t made any official decision yet.
“After a lot of thought and reflection, I’ve made the decision to enter the transfer portal and leave the University of Southern California,” Heckel wrote. “Saying goodbye to this chapter isn’t easy, and I’ll always be grateful for the experiences and relationships I’ve built here.”
“Thank you to the fans and all of the people who supported me this season. I am extremely grateful to my teammates and coaches, thank you so much for all of the memories and incredible experiences I’ve been able to have this season with you all by my side.
“This decision was not easy, but I believe this is what is best for me and my Journey,” Heckel said.
UConn’s identity is built on elite guard play. Heckel’s defensive skills and ability to impact without high usage would complement rising sophomore KK Arnold. Fans are beginning to speculate and give their own theories about where Heckel could potentially land.
Heckel is a Connecticut native, which is another reason some fans think UConn could be very high on her list. Prior to USC, she was a McDonald’s All-American. She won gold with Team USA at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup and was named to the U18 AmeriCup All-Tournament Second Team.
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She was ranked as the No. 13 player in the nation in high school. She scored over 2,400 points and more than 500 assists, rebounds, and steals in her prep career. She was named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Mid-season Team.
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