Top Women's Basketball Recruit Takes Official Visit With JR Payne, Colorado Buffaloes

As a sophomore, Crittendon led Riverdale Ridge to a state title just six years into its existence. The 6-3 forward averaged 26.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season. Additionally, she became the fastest-ever Colorado athlete to eclipse 2,000 career points.

In November of 2022, coach Tad Boyle and the men's basketball team landed five-star forward Cody Williams, who went on to become a top-10 NBA draft pick. Payne is looking to recreate that same magic with Crittendon.

But entering year 10 with the Buffaloes, Payne has missed out on several marquee in-state recruits. Throughout the early 2020s, Colorado failed to land forwards Lauren Betts (Grandview High School, Aurora) and Raegan Beers (Valor Christian High School, Highlands Ranch), the latter of whom was teammates with former Buffs guard Kindyll Wetta.

Both Betts and Beers have transferred, but Payne still couldn't snag the current UCLA Bruin and Oklahoma Sooner stars, respectively.

Crittendon holds offers from the perennial powerhouse South Carolina Gamecocks, Iowa Hawkeyes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish, along with prior official visits with the Tennessee Volunteers and TCU Horned Frogs.

Recent history paints a dull picture, but recent success in March could ring more favorably for recruitment. Colorado has five intriguing freshmen in its current class and nabbed 2026 four-star guard Cail Jahnke in August.

Romance could also play a fascinating role. Crittendon is in a relationship with Josiah Sanders, a freshman guard on the Buffs' men's basketball team.

As part of the visit's festivities and photoshoots, Payne and Co. brought Crittendon to Folsom Field to watch Colorado football battle the No. 25 BYU Cougars. She looked on with potential future teammates as Coach Prime's squad fell short of an upset bid late Saturday night.

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Crittendon would become the highest-ranked recruit in Colorado program history, but an important season still lies ahead. Senior forward Jade Masogayo, who has been instrumental in Crittendon's recruitment, should anchor both ends after a career year.

The Buffs may start another youngster, albeit less decorated, next to Masogayo in the frontcourt. Four-star freshman Logyn Greer could be a dominant partner in crime for Crittendon down the line, modeling her game after NBA legend Kevin Durant. Payne has also set a high bar, comparing her skillset to that of two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart.

To address last season's turnover woes, Colorado went portaling for savvy ball-handlers. Desiree Wooten (North Texas Mean Green), Zayanna Walker (Kansas State Wildcats), Claire O'Connor (Gonzaga Bulldogs) and Maeve McErlane (DePaul Demon Deacons) aim to establish key roles and a new identity in the backcourt.

After finishing ninth in the Big 12 and missing the NCAA Tournament, the Buffaloes are poised to bounce back. This past offseason brought good fortune, and more could be down the pike if they make due on a strong crop of newcomers.