The highest rated commit in the 2020 Cal women’s basketball recruiting class is Dalayah Daniels, a 5-star forward out of Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington. ESPN ranks her 14th overall in the 2020 class and 2nd at her position.
When Charmin Smith and Cal secured Daniels’ commitment along with Fatou Samb and Michelle Ugonne Onyiah, it created the most buzz around Cal basketball recruiting since Cuonzo Martin and his staff landed Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb back in 2015. Daniels caught up with GoldenBearReport.com about why she chose Cal and her commitment to Smith’s vision for the program.
“I really liked the coaching staff,” Daniels said of why she chose Cal. “They showed that they want to be in your life as a person and they want to make you better. I like the diversity of the school. It’s the number one public university in the world. I see an opportunity for sure just with a young team. I know they’re still rebuilding. I just saw it as a chance to make a difference in a program.
“I could have gone to Stanford or Oregon State, that are more established programs. But I wanted to go to a place where I feel I could make a difference. It’ll take a while, but I know in the end it will be worth it.”
What makes Daniels’ decision all the more impressive for Cal is the other options that she had. Cal did a great job of standing out from the rest of the competition by excelling at areas that resonated with her. Daniels acknowledged that other schools may have had a bigger brand, but she isn’t all about the brand. She’s about what place will make her the happiest both on and off the court.
“My final six was Duke, Princeton, Stanford, UCLA, Oregon State, and Cal,” Daniels said. “Other schools had more glitz and glam, but I feel Cal stood out in a lot more of the important ways. They care about you. A lot of athletes go where the hype is, but it’s not necessarily where you’ll be happy. My family reminded me that the hype only last for about 10 minutes and that you really need to go somewhere where you can be happy. Cal has the complete package where I can be a successful woman on and off the court.”
Part of what drew Daniels to Cal was the chance to build something from the ground up. Other programs like Stanford and Oregon State are more established but don’t present the excitement of building something. At Cal, Daniels really gets the chance to put her own stamp on a program.
“I’m excited. I definitely know what I’m capable of,” Daniels said. “Definitely go where you’re wanted for sure and I feel like Coach Charmin and her staff made me feel wanted. I think a lot of people are sleeping on Cal right now. I’m really excited now that I’m starting to talk to the other girls. I’m looking forward to bringing excitement to Cal. I think we’re gonna shock a lot of people. I feel like our class is something that can be really special and I’m excited.”
Daniels acknowledged that there’s a bit of a risk in riding with a first time head coach, but she’s confident that Charmin Smith has what it takes to build Cal into a powerhouse program. She really likes her vision for the program and is all in.
“I know with her background in the WNBA, she brings a lot of experience,” Daniels said. “I want to be a part of her first year as a head coach. I know there’s unknowns with her being a new head coach, but I trust her because she cares. She’s not thinking about now, she’s thinking about what could be. I definitely trust her 100%. She doesn’t recruit players who are finished products. She recruits players who she sees potential in and have the potential to be great.”
When asked about the hype that her decision is bringing to Cal, Daniels said she was unaware of all the buzz. What she was aware of however, was people questioning her decision. Those doubters make her all the more motivated to prove them wrong.
“I actually didn’t know a lot about it,” Daniels said of the hype. “I’m kinda clueless. I think a lot of people are questioning my decision. All I know is Cal has a vision and I was all for it.”
An additional benefit of committing to Cal for Daniels is the chance to stay close to home and compete in the Pac-12. Daniels is aware that the Pac-12 is one of the top conferences in women’s basketball, presenting a challenge every night you step on the court.
“I’m excited,” Daniels said of competing in the Pac-12. “I think I the Pac-12 is so exciting because it’s close to home. In the Pac-12, anything can happen and you can get a lot of exposure.”
As for what she’ll bring to the program, Daniels is confident that she’ll bring versatility. While known as a post player, she thinks she can do a lot of different things on the court. Whatever Smith ask of her, she’ll do.
“I’m going to bring versatility,” Daniels said. “A lot of players talk about versatility, but I think I definitely bring the whole package. I can handle the ball; I can play as a guard. A lot of people think because I’m 6’4” I’m just a post player, but I can do a lot of different things. I think that’s what makes me a dangerous player. Whatever Charmin needs me to do, I can do.”
Most importantly, Daniels wants to be a good teammate and build up those around her. She understands the value of being selfless. She feels this approach brings out the best both in her and her team.
“Also, I think I bring some energy,” Daniels said. “I like to uplift my teammates. I think when your teammates are hyped up, they’ll want to play a lot harder for you.”
While she is a top rated recruit, Daniels understands that playing college basketball will require an adjustment both on the court and in the classroom. She expects it to bring challenges both physically and mentally.
“Definitely say the physicality of the game. That will be a big adjustment,” Daniels said. “Just trying to manage school life as well as being on the court and taking constructive criticism. I think for a lot of players, it’s going to be an adjustment to take constructive criticism and the mental side of it.”
As for what she wants to study at Cal, Daniels doesn’t know for sure, but she seems to have narrowed her choices down to two. Regardless of what she ends up majoring in, she’s looking forward to getting a world class education.
“I really like psychology, but I think in the end I’ll major in business,” Daniels said. “I might minor in psychology. There’s a lot you can do with a business degree, so I think that would be valuable to have.”
When looking at what Dalayah Daniels has to offer Cal, it’s clear that she’s one of the best recruits Cal basketball has ever landed. She’s one of the top players in the country and is fully committed to what it means to be a Golden Bear. What more could Cal ask for?
