FILM ROOM: Savvy Swords has developed into a dangerous three-level scorer

This offseason, Kenny Brooks and Kentucky have reeled in five commitments. Four of them are for the upcoming 2025-26 squad, while the most recent one — 2026 five-star wing Savvy Swords — won’t arrive in Lexington until the following year.

We’ve already dove into the KSR Film Room to break down the tape of Kentucky’s first four commits, which you can view below.

• Josie Gilvin FILM ROOM
• Asia Boone FILM ROOM
• Tonie Morgan FILM ROOM
• Elsa Vadfors FILM ROOM

Now, let’s see how we can slice up Swords’ game.

A quick (and deadly) trigger from the three-point line

Swords has always been a tremendous all-around player, but compared to all of her other skills, her three-point shot seemed to bloom late. However, she’s quickly become one of the best shooters in the 2026 class.

The 6-foot-2 wing averaged 16.3 points per game, knocking down 50% of her three-point attempts for the U17 FIBA World Cup Canadian National Team in 2024. She also shot an incredibly efficient 50% from the field overall, which was good enough for third in the event.

Her ability to get her shot off quickly is what makes her such a good scorer. Defenders have a hard time getting to her, and even when they do, all it takes is one sudden step and she has enough room to let it fly.

Surprisingly swift footwork in the post coupled with a soft touch

Being 6-foot-2, Swords is more of a wing than she is a traditional guard, and that means that she has to go to war against some bigger players down low.

Maybe it shouldn’t be as surprising as it is, but Swords’ footwork is really, really impressive. It’s not quite Hakeem Olajuwon, but she can certainly put a step and a spin on someone to get a bucket. It also helps that she has an incredibly soft touch around the rim.

It’s pretty unfair that an incredible shooter like her can also be a nightmare on the block. She’s almost a smaller and better-shooting version of Clara Strack. Awesome for Kentucky, terrifying for the rest of the SEC.

Can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim

If we’re going to continue to compare Swords to current UK players, then her ability to attack in transition and get to the hoop is very similar to that of Teonni Key.

Again, her soft touch around the rim is helpful in her ability to finish in transition, but Swords is truly an all-around scorer. It feels repetitive and mundane to say that she can score from anywhere because people like to say that about a lot of players, but Swords can really score from anywhere.

Swords could very easily be one of the best players in the 2025 class, but instead, she’ll get yet another year to develop her game and get even better before she officially becomes a Cat.

Rundown of prospects offered by Kentucky

2026

• 5-star post Olivia Vukosa – No. 3 overall, No. 1 post – Christ the King (FL)
• 5-star point guard Kate Harpring – No. 4 overall, No. 1 point guard – Marist (GA)
• 5-star guard Trinity Jones – No. 7 overall, No. 3 guard – Bolingbrook (IL)
• 5-star point guard Maddyn Greenway – No. 11 overall, No. 2 point guard – Providence Academy (MN) – Committed to Kentucky
• 5-star guard Bella Flemings – No. 12 overall, No. 6 guard – Brennan (TX)
• 5-star wing Savvy Swords – No. 18 overall, No. 4 wing – Long Island Lutheran (NY) – Committed to Kentucky
• 4-star forward Amari Byles – No. 22 overall, No. 4 forward – DeSoto (TX)
• 4-star guard Sanai Green – No. 23 overall, No. 9 guard – Long Island Lutheran (NY) – Committed to Duke
• 4-star forward Kamora Pruitt – No. 24 overall, No. 5 forward – Legion Prep Academy (TX)
• 4-star wing Bella Ragone – No. 28 overall, No. 7 wing – Mill Creek (GA) – Committed to Notre Dame
• 4-star forward Mimi Thiero – No. 35 overall, No. 9 forward – Quaker Valley (PA)
• 4-star guard Emily McDonald – No. 39 overall, No. 13 guard – Long Island Lutheran (NY)
• 4-star guard Whitley Rogers – No. 41 overall, No. 15 guard – Little Rock Christian Academy (AR)

2027

• 5-star guard Ivanna Wilson Manyacka – No. 2 overall, No. 1 guard – Bullis (MD)
• 5-star wing Jordyn Palmer – No. 6 overall, No. 1 wing – Westtown (PA)
• 5-star guard Sydney Savoury – No. 15 overall, No. 4 guard – Belleville (MI)
• 4-star point guard De’Andra Minor – No. 21 overall, No. 3 point guard – Grind Prep Academy (OK)
• 4-star forward Sydney Mobley – No. 22 overall, No. 6 forward – Big Walnut (OH)
• 4-star guard Madeline Mignery – No. 33 overall, No. 11 guard – Cardinal Mooney (FL)
• Forward Isabella Marion – Unranked (international) – Denmark

2028

• 4-star forward Sydney Douglas – No. 2 overall, No. 1 forward – Etiwanda (CA)
• 4-star point guard Chloe Johnson – No. 3 overall, No. 1 point guard – Marshall (MN)
• 4-star wing Ella Peper – No. 4 overall, No. 1 wing – Dexter Southfield (MA)
• 4-star guard Jhaliana Guy – No. 19 overall, No. 10 guard – Bettendorf (IA) – Committed to Stanford
• 4-star guard Erin Thomas – No. 22 overall, No. 11 guard – Princeton (OH)

2029

• Center Jayden McClain – Unranked (no rankings for 2029 yet) – Ryle (KY)

(Rankings from ESPN/HoopGurlz)