When UCLA added Charlisse Leger-Walker via the transfer portal in 2024, they knew they would likely have to wait for her to make her Bruins debut.
She was coming off an ACL injury that kept her out of the final 11 games of the 2023-24 season with Washington State, and the recovery time would take her through nearly all of the 2024-25 season.
Leger-Walker had been granted a fifth year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and following her medical redshirt last year, that fifth year carried over once more. Now finally able to take the court, her impact has been more than UCLA head coach Cori Close initially expected.
”When she went into the portal, I could not call quick enough,” Close said back on March 1 after defeating USC. “I knew that she would bring to us what I saw her do at Washington State, and she has just exceeded my expectations. It has been an absolute joy, not just to coach her, but to be a part of her life.”
Even though Leger-Walker missed the entirety of the 2024-25 season, she still made an impact for the Bruins. She was on the bench for every game. She was there every step of the way as UCLA made a run to the Final Four.
She was present in practice and in film sessions. She acted as an extension of the coach, the way a point guard is supposed to, even if she wasn’t in uniform. Leger-Walker took the time she was sidelined to try and see the game the way a coach might. It gave her more of an opportunity to learn about her new teammates and made the transition easier, rather than trying to fit in from the get-go.
“When you’re on the sidelines, you’re forced to watch and try and find your voice and have an impact while not playing. That’s a really difficult thing that a lot of people struggle with,” Leger-Walker told The IX Sports. “Having that year off, not only was I able to learn the system and the team and build relationships with the girls, but also just seeing it from the coaches perspective … when you go back and take that into this year, when I’m playing now, I have that perspective as well.”
“Actually, it was really great for me to sit out and see that, and kind of spend two years in this program as opposed to coming in and trying to play straight away and just having one year.”
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The main area where Leger-Walker was able to help the team while out was her leadership. That’s something that’s carried over to this season. Close has spoken about how leadership is a team concept and how that responsibility is distributed amongst each player.
But Leger-Walker, by nature of being a point guard, has built-in leadership duties. It’s her responsibility to run the offense, get the team organized and act as a facilitator with the ball in her hands.
Leger-Walker says for her, one of the most important parts of leadership is being as selfless as possible. Not worrying about numbers and focusing only on what needs to be done to win.
“Obviously I have a lot of experience at this level, and a big part of my role this year is to really be that connecting piece throughout the team. That’s making sure we’re all getting the right shots, the right looks,” she said. “I don’t really care about all of the stats or anything. It’s really just what do I need to do to make the team win. I think I lead in that way, trying to use my voice and just making sure we’re always on the same page. Coming into this year, that was always a big focus for me.”
Leger-Walker has started every game for UCLA this season, while averaging the lowest point total of her career at 8.8 points, per Sports Reference. But as she mentioned, her role and impact has little to do with stats. She fits in with where she’s needed.
She’s capable of having a big game if necessary. Back on Nov. 27, with UCLA needing a bounce-back after a crushing loss to Texas, Leger-Walker dropped 20 points on an efficient 54.5% shooting in a win against Duke.
In the Bruins’ final game of the regular season, she had another 20-point night as UCLA defeated crosstown rival USC to finish with a perfect 18-0 conference record. She’s scored in double figures in 14 of the 34 games UCLA has played this season prior to the Sweet 16.
Leger-Walker prides herself in being able to slot in wherever she’s needed, something she knows will be important when it comes to possibly playing professionally next season. With so many talented and versatile teammates at UCLA, it’s almost like a trial run for the pros.
“I think specifically, reflecting on this past year, I think it’s been cool to show different parts of my game in so many different ways,” Leger-Walker said. “For me, being a part of this team, thinking about going to the next level, I’m going to be surrounded by the best players in the world. So being able to find ways to still have that impact and be able to connect with people on the court, I think that’s going to translate a great deal going to the next level.”
But it isn’t just Leger-Walker’s on-court ability that has impacted the Bruins. It’s also her personality and penchant for being a true extension of the coaching staff, the latter even surprising Close. She can be the ‘class clown’ so to speak, but can get serious when it comes to executing the game plan.
On the plane ride up to Sacramento for the next round of the NCAA Tournament, Close and her mother were laughing in tears watching Leger-Walker’s new YouTube video trying to teach teammate Gianna Kneepkens how to dance.
“I think several people on our team just laugh more and smile more because Charlisse Leger-Walker is in our life. And she’s a heck of a basketball player,” Close said during her pre-Sweet 16 press conference on Thursday. “I remember when I was recruiting her, her mom said, ‘there’s going to be times when you’re just going to hand over the clipboard.'”
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It was after last year’s Final Four loss to UConn, during which Leger-Walker was still sidelined, that she and her backcourt partner Kiki Rice came to Close and asked for permission to tweak the offense a bit. Close, of course, obliged.
“I’m the co-offensive coordinator along with Tony Newnan, and we did this deep deep in our transition break, and it was led by Charlisse. She brought me film that she had edited,” Close recalled. “She had this whole system, and we have pretty much implemented what they brought to me. And I think that says something about the trust I have for her … both her and Kiki lead us both in their physical play, but also their intellectual commitment to the game.”
And while Leger-Walker has certainly enjoyed the winning that has come this season, she’s equally enjoyed being around her teammates. The bond the group shares is a major reason why she believes UCLA has had the success they’ve had. It’s the driving force that’s propelled them through the tournament so far.
“We’re all just very like-minded. We obviously work very hard, it’s been one of the most consistent teams that I’ve been a part of. Everyone is just doing everything they can to be the best version of themselves for this team,” Leger-Walker said. “The fun comes with it, because everyone is just out there wanting to be their best for each other.”
“Add in that everyone’s actually really good people, it’s so easy to be off the court and spending time with them. We hang out all the time and we’re constantly in the gym with each other … we just enjoy each other’s presence so much, and that translates on the court too. We just love celebrating each other and it’s been a really, really fun season.”
