Freshman Mikayla Blakes is a program-changing player. Averaging 23.0 ppg, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, Blakes is filling up the stat sheet on a nightly basis as the number one scoring option that other teams have to create their entire game plan around. Let’s repeat that last sentence and let it sink in.

That’s right. A freshman five foot 9 inches tall and plays guard is dominating for the Commodores and is taking Women’s College Basketball by storm. Blakes’ lightning-quick first step and ability to score anywhere on the floor have become regular highlights on ESPN. She is a walking bucket. Most recently, Blakes broke her own freshman scoring record with a 55-point barrage against Auburn.

Blakes is now the front-runner to win National Freshman Player of the Year. Blakes’ rise has come much to the dismay of UCONN Twitter, who demand “MORE!” “MORE!” “MORE!” despite Augustus Gloop level portions of attention heaped upon their players. Sorry, Huskies, Blakes is the best player on her team, unlike Sarah Strong. Strong is a Diet Good freshman to Blakes’ Great.

In less than one full season, the discussions have already begun about where Blakes ranks all-time in Vanderbilt Athletic History. Not since Kumar Rocker has a freshman player for the Commodores entered onto West End and dominated in their first season. And the rest of the women’s basketball world is starting to take notice. The suitors will be many and will start contacting Blakes if they have not already. Expect major programs such as LSU, Tennessee, South Carolina, and UCONN, among others, to make offers to Blakes. It would be coaching malpractice not to do your due diligence on a player like Blakes.

It is paramount that Vanderbilt keeps Blakes in Nashville after this season. It will cost some money to do so, and potentially seven figures. According to On3, LSU star Flau’jae Johnson’s NIL deal is approximately 1.5 million. Blakes’ market could very well be in that same range.

So, what is Vanderbilt’s plan to keep Blakes? And what does Blakes want? How does she view her market? What is Blakes passionate about? Are there any companies or businesses that Blakes is interested in? Does Vanderbilt’s vision for the future of its Women’s Basketball Program align with what Blakes wants? Vanderbilt needs answers to all these crucial questions in the coming weeks. Blakes recently went on the record to state that she hopes her current team can make a deep tournament run. In addition to winning, she would probably like a raise.

Vanderbilt’s last go-round with a dominant freshman, London Humphreys, did not end well. The Christ Presbyterian Academy burner, who Vanderbilt was hoping to build its entire offense around, ripped the hearts out of Vanderbilt fans and the coaching staff alike when he bolted for Georgia after the 2023 season. Times were different then. Vanderbilt did not have a consolidated NIL collective or many resources in NIL and was coming off a horrid 2-10 season.

Vanderbilt can learn an important lesson from Humphreys. While the women’s basketball program is poised to make the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, Vanderbilt cannot assume that Blakes return is a sure thing. There needs to be a plan. The Commodores need to back up the Brinks truck, hold a Wolf of Wall Street-style lunch meeting with major donors, and do everything possible to retain Blakes.

Think about what a lousy message it would send if Blakes left Nashville. It would signal to other players that Vanderbilt is a feeder program and goes against everything Shea Ralph has built over the last couple of years. Getting fans inside Memorial Gym would become even more difficult. It doesn’t have to be this way. With a proactive plan, Vanderbilt can keep its star and maintain its ascension towards becoming a destination program and perennial power in Women’s College Basketball.

Blakes has come through in the clutch time and time again for Vanderbilt. She has put Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball back on the map. It’s high time the Commodores return the favor to her, pony up, and keep her in Nashville..