LAS VEGAS -- UCLA coach Cori Close will never forget the phone call she had with Charlisse Leger-Walker's mother when the New Zealand-born basketball star entered the transfer portal.
"Her mom said, 'There's just going to be times where you're going to hand over the clipboard and want her input,'" Close explained after her third-ranked Bruins defeated North Carolina, 78-60, on the first day of the WBCA Challenge in Las Vegas.
No problem Leanne, Close thought, as long as your daughter joins the Bruins and is no longer a thorn in my side.
Leger-Walker's career began at Washington State, where she was named the 2021 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and earned all-conference honors all four seasons as a Cougar. She averaged 18.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in seven meetings against UCLA.
After mulling it over and consulting with her closest allies, Leger-Walker transferred to UCLA for her fifth season of eligibility, granted due to the pandemic. Leger-Walker was forced to redshirt last season, though, after suffering an ACL injury.
Finally, the 24-year-old is back where she belongs, on the court, enjoying what is likely her final collegiate season.
"Having Char here has been so great," UCLA senior guard Kiki Rice said. "I remember my first two years in college, playing against her, and always knowing that she was one of the best guards in the country, one of the best guards in the Pac 12. She was super hard to scout, super hard to guard.
"Now that she's on this team, it's just so incredible to have another point guard in the backcourt. The way that she works, the way she leads, and just how mature Char is, it's something that we really value on this team."
MEMORIES
As the third-ranked Bruins slowly took apart No. 11 North Carolina on Thursday inside Michelob Ultra Arena, the conversation of the trio's return to the venue was bittersweet from all angles.
It was in March 2023 when she dedicated the Pac-12 Tournament to her grandmother, who had passed during the regular season. It had been a tiring campaign for Leger-Walker, who traveled twice to her homeland during the season: once to be sure she could say goodbye to "Nana" in person, and a second time when she was laid to rest.
Leger-Walker led the Cougars to one of the most improbable runs in Pac-12 Tournament history, winning four games in five days, including a 23-point performance in a 65-61 championship victory over Rice, Close and the Bruins.
"This one was definitely for her and for my family back home," Leger-Walker said that night.
Fast forward to Thursday after the Bruins defeated North Carolina, and the trio - Leger-Walker, Rice and Close - were together in a postgame press conference, reminded of a night that was filled with so many emotions for these three extraordinary women.
"I think arenas kind of hold memories, and when you step back into those spaces, it's kind of automatic that you kind of relive moments that you have played, especially here," Leger-Walker said. "But at the same time, coming in with a whole different team and a different program and different goals in mind, it's also very easy just to focus on that and tap into what we need to do today."
As Close leaned in and embraced Leger-Walker, the veteran coach and Rice both agreed they'd rather forget that night two and a half years ago and cherish what the newest Bruin brings to the lineup.
"I think you can see the collective maturity that we have with this group, and that's led by Char," Rice said. "In large part because she's had so much experience and is such a solid, consistent player for us that we all trust and believe in her. So we're just excited to have her on the team now."
ONE MORE RUN
While Leger-Walker's career is far from over, as WNBA scouts are lurking, she has unfinished business as a college player, with a legitimate goal in sight.
UCLA has progressively gotten closer to a national championship since Rice arrived, from the Elite Eight in consecutive seasons to the Final Four last April. Now, Leger-Walker knows she's part of a team that undoubtedly could return to the national semifinals and take the next step.
With that in mind, Leger-Walker is making the most of every opportunity as one of the Bruins' starting five.
Close knows her veteran guard is an extension of the coaching staff and is a big reason UCLA can take it one step further than last year.
"As soon as Charlisse went into the portal ... I was like, that's who we need," Close said. "We thought it was going to be earlier, but the silver lining is we got two years with her instead of one. She's made a tremendous difference in our program. And how lucky am I that I have two lead guards like this?"
It goes beyond Leger-Walker and Rice, though, with preseason All-American Lauren Betts headlining one of Close's most talented rosters ever.
"We really do have a team that, any night, anyone can come out and make huge impacts in the game," Leger-Walker said. "It's balanced across the score sheet, whether that's points, assists, rebounding, especially in games like this, when there is so much focus on keeping Lauren off the boards or double-teaming her or whatever.
"Everyone else around her has to step up in those areas. We've had a big focus on guard rebounding. And obviously, you know, Kiki can get in there. All of our guards really try to get in there and help with that."
Like Saturday in the final game of the WBCA Challenge, when Leger-Walker finished was one of six players to finish in double digits in a 94-61 win over South Florida, contributing with 16 points and seven assists.
"I think it comes back to the experience and the maturity, and just understanding that we don't have to rely on one or two people every night to do it for us," Leger-Walker said. We can all kind of step up in different areas and really help out."