Saira Sword will begin her Michigan women's basketball career next season as the highest-ranked recruit in the school's history.
The five-star guard also hopes to become an Olympic medalist before the Wolverines' 2024-25 season begins in November. On Tuesday, the 18-year-old Swords was named one of 12 members who will represent Canada at the 2024 Olympics. She will become the youngest player selected for Canada's Olympic team and just the second Olympian in Wolverines history.
The Paris tournament won't be the Sudbury, Ontario, native's first time representing her country: The 6-foot-tall guard won a bronze medal at the FIBA U-19 World Cup last summer and was the only high school player selected for Canada's Senior Women's National Team for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, helping Canada qualify in February.
Swords was ranked the No. 4 overall recruit in the country by ESPN and was a McDonald's All-American. She attended Long Island Lutheran High School and was named the 2024 New York Gatorade/MaxPreps Girls Player of the Year, averaging 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and three steals per game.
She joins Krista Phillips, who played for Canada at the 2012 London Games, as the only Wolverines player to be selected to the Olympic team.
Canada is in Group B with France, Nigeria and Australia and will open the tournament against France on July 29.
