No. 1 recruit Sarah Strong is ‘a unicorn’
Coach Chad Revelle isn’t afraid to take big swings when he describes Sarah Strong. After three seasons coaching the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2024, he’s comfortable making analogies to Hall of Famer Magic Johnson or two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
But his favorite comparison for his star forward at Grace Christian School in Sanford, North Carolina, doesn’t even exist.
“She’s a unicorn, and that’s not just my quote. Other college coaches have made that comment to me, everybody that sees her (does),” Revelle said. “She’s a unicorn because she has such a complete skillset … And her competitive edge, I’ve never coached a player that has the ability to lock in like she does when it’s time to get after it. She takes over.”
Strong became the third No. 1 prospect in the last five years to commit to UConn and coach Geno Auriemma when she announced her decision April 6. She chose the Huskies over a final three that included Duke and North Carolina, but the 6-foot-2 forward had interest from plenty of major players: National champion South Carolina made a late push for Strong, as did fellow SEC powerhouse LSU.
But for a top overall recruit, Strong’s process was quiet. She held onto her decision until the spring rather than rush into the early signing period in November when most women’s basketball prospects make it official. She never shared a photo from an official visit, uncommon in the modern era when many athletes rely on social media to build name, image and likeness value around their personal brand.
“She doesn’t want all the flash. Some schools fell off her radar because it was just too much. Too much flash, too much overselling,” Revelle said. “She’s like ‘Hey, I just want to be in a place where I feel like it’s family, where I feel I’m going to be developed. She said this to me: ‘(Where) If I feel like I’m going through some stuff in life, I’d have somebody to talk to.’ So those intricacies of relationships and stuff matters to her.”
Strong was always among the upper echelon of the 2024 class, but she didn't lock down the No. 1 spot until late in the process. She debuted as the No. 6 player in the class when ESPN released it's “Terrific 25” ranking in 2021 and spent most of her career in the No. 4-5 range — until the 2023 AAU season. Strong jumped to No. 2 in June before surpassing now-No. 3 Joyce Edwards, a South Carolina signee, soon after both competed at the Under Armour Elite 24 Showcase in August.
Strong solidified that standing during her senior season at Grace Christian, leading the Crusaders to a third consecutive NCISAA 3A state championship averaging 21.3 points, 16.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.8 blocks per game. She was the Naismith High School Player of the Year and co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American game with Edwards, also leading Grace Christian to a berth in the prestigious Chipotle Nationals tournament.
“It was crazy when it went from No. 2 to 1, not a big jump, with just the notoriety, the expectations, the other things around her,” Revelle said. “… But she locks in so incredibly well. High-level athletes do that, but she does it at a unique level. She doesn't want to do an interview or get on camera and talk, but when you put her on a court, in her environment, the bigger the moment the better she is. The moments do not crush her, which is incredible.”
Strong transferred to Grace Christian after her freshman season at Fuquay-Varina, the same year Revelle was hired as head coach.
He hadn't worked with a top-5 prospect before Strong, but Revelle has a foundation in women's basketball greatness. He worked closely with Tennessee's Pat Summitt as a coach at her summer basketball camps from 1999-2001, and he said the late Lady Vols legend always made herself a resource for her young employees to talk basketball or participate in team workouts.
Still, the magnitude of Strong's talent required some adaptations, and
Revelle was intentional with a collaborative approach to coaching the rising superstar. He roped in the Grace Christian boys basketball team to play against his starters so Strong could face a more competitive practice matchup, or challenged her by playing with the JV squad in scrimmages against varsity.
“Coaches are all control freaks, if we want to be honest … and especially when you get a unicorn like Sarah, if you box somebody like her in too much, she's going to run from you or you're gonna kill the chance to see her greatness flourish, so it's been a real give and take,” Revelle said. “I haven't backed off of coaching her and giving her input, but at the same time she's challenged me (because) it's like ‘Girl, you have some skillsets in one person that I've never seen before.'”
‘UConn just stood the test’
Like so many players, Strong spent most of her childhood watching UConn dominate college basketball. Her hero was Maya Moore, who led the Huskies to backto-back NCAA championships in 2009-10. Moore is arguably the most prolific scorer to come through UConn as the only player to reach 3,000 career points, and she also ranks top 10 in program history in career rebounds (second), assists (10th), steals (fourth) and blocks (10th).
There are shades of the Huskies legend in Strong's young game: Her dominant paint presence despite average height, unique game awareness that gives way to elite passing, consistent scoring at all three levels. Strong has a silky-smooth 3-point shot to complement her post play, but Revelle believes the forward's skill as a facilitator will be her biggest weapon at the next level.
“What separates her is her court IQ is extremely high, and as a high school player she's already an elite passer,” Revelle said. “… She's got the modern game of being able to shoot outside, but she can find people and see things develop and pass like a Magic Johnson did. That's what makes her that No. 1, unique player.”
Though UConn's history made it an early front-runner, Strong was methodical about her recruiting process. She was determined explore all her options without getting swept away by the rows of banners at Gampel Pavilion, but Revelle said the Huskies stood out anyway. The first time he met Auriemma was on a visit to Grace Christian, and Strong wasn't even available to see the Huskies coach.
Instead they spent three hours touring campus and chatting in Revelle's office, and the Crusaders coach could see exactly why Strong resonated with Auriemma. Before he left, Revelle said the UConn legend asked for a local barbecue recommendation.
“Getting to know him, what you see is what you get, and Sarah's like that,” Revelle said. “I think there's a good synergy that's going to happen, and I think that's what ultimately sealed the deal. It was her initial dream school, dream situation, and then through process of elimination, UConn just stood the test.”
Revelle also describes Strong with uncanny similarities to the way Auriemma does superstar Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2020: Unselfish on the court, sometimes to a fault, and thrives in an environment where she functions as a piece of a team.
“I remember my first year seeing that she was an absolute bucket — I mean, she could score at will — and I literally had to tell this kid one time, ‘Hey Sarah, you know you can score right?'” Revelle said with a laugh. “Those types of kids understand the greater why, that it's more than just me. It's just getting them comfortable and going hey, we believe in you and believe in your skill set … You are special, so pick and choose your moments.”
The Huskies hope to bring back a stacked roster for 2024-25, including Bueckers for her fifth year and 2021 No. 1 recruit Azzi Fudd off of an ACL tear, but being surrounded by talent is the opposite of intimidating for Strong.
“Sarah has never once asked me about playing time. She's never once asked me about stats. She's never come and thrown her weight around like, ‘Hey I'm Sarah Strong, do this or I'm leaving,'” Revelle said. “I said to a couple of the UConn coaches after she committed … you will absolutely be back in the Final Four, because what are teams going to do with Paige and Sarah and Azzi Fudd … like who are you gonna guard? The matchups are going to be a nightmare for people.”