2025 five-star guard Leonna “LA” Sneed made a major decision last week, announcing her commitment to the Utah Utes, adding to a strong recruiting class for coach Lynne Roberts.
Sneed, ranked the No. 26 player in the Class of 2025 by ESPN, is the eighth-best point guard in the cycle, and was deciding between Utah, Arkansas, and Cal before ultimately committing to the Utes.
A native of Texas, Sneed is the third-best player in the state and will attend her senior year at Karen Wagner H.S., where she averaged 22.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 4.4 steals per game as a junior.
Just a day before her commitment, Sneed was in attendance at the Under Armour Next Elite 24, where she competing alongside 17 other five-star recruits across the 2025, 2026, and 2027 classes over a three-day period.
Most notably, the five-star guard was battling back and forth with Kaleena Smith, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2027, both during the scrimmages and the actual game, which took place on Saturday, August 10th.
During the showcase, Sneed showed off her defensive instincts, competitive nature, and ability to be an all-around offensive player as a point guard, scoring around the rim, while also pushing the ball in transition and serving as a good facilitator.
That was a key for her entering the competitive environment at the UA Next Elite, which fueled her efforts during the big game.
“Most definitely, [I pride myself on being a facilitator],” Sneed shared after the game. “I think that’s what we really needed. When you’re in this type of environment, you’re supposed to play fast, so I feel like that’s what we needed to do.”
Going forward, Sneed is looking to be more aggressive overall, as she looks to improve her offensive game and become a three-level scorer at a more consistent pace.
The five-star guard has certainly grown as a facilitator, and has the scoring chops, having averaged nearly 23 points per game, but it’s about finding that balance that will be important at the next level.
Heading into her senior year, Sneed has her eyes set on two things: being a McDonald’s All-American and winning the state championship.
After that, it’ll be full steam ahead at Utah, where she’ll look to prove herself and become an immediate contributor in the 2025 class.
Fit at Utah
The Utes have become one of the stronger teams in women’s college basketball, having reached the Sweet Sixteen back in 2022 before making the Round of 32 last year.
On the recruiting front, head coach Lynne Roberts has really amped up the efforts in locking down the backcourt for the future, landing four-star guards Brooke Walker and Kylie Ray in the 2024 class, while also adding Australian guard Grace Foster from overseas.
In the 2025 class, Sneed immediately becomes the headliner as a five-star recruit, while the Utes have also added four-star guard Avery Hjelmstad, who is seen as a top-50 talent by ESPN.
Sneed’s ability as a facilitator should shine at Utah around a group of players who shoot the ball well, and her defensive impact should be immediately felt while she grows into her own as a three-level weapon offensively.
Most importantly, though, Sneed is concerned about winning, and she’ll look to continue the tradition at Utah, while pushing the team’s ceiling further to get to the next level.
The five-star from Texas has never backed away from competition, which was clearly seen at the UA Elite 24, and that won’t start now as she gets ready for the next chapter of her career.
But first comes her senior year, where the goals of being an All-American and state champion loom deep in her mind.
