Recruiting from the transfer portal has been slow for the Vanderbilt women’s basketball program, but coach Shea Ralph finally landed a second commitment. And like the first commitment – Aalyah Del Rosaria from LSU – this one also comes from an SEC power.
Texas transfer Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda has committed to the Commodores according to Talia Goodman of On3 Sports. Mwenetanda averaged 5.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game last season, while making 15 starts in 38 games. She shot .456 from the field and .768 from the free throw line.
Mwenentanda was a 4-star recruit and the number 34th rated prospect nationally coming out of high school. She was also the 2022 Gatorade South Dakota Player of the Year.
Her name might be difficult to pronounce at first glance, but fortunately for Vanderbilt opposing guards have found it even more difficult to play against her. While Mwenentanda is not a three-point threat, so is proficient in driving to the basket. She also provides much needed backcourt size, length, solid rebounding, lockdown defense, and a veteran presence with Final Four experience.
After playing three seasons with the Longhorns, Mwenentanda will have one year of eligibility with Vanderbilt and will likely help fill the roles left by the departing wings Jane Nwaba and Jordyn Oliver.
Mwenentanda’s last season at Texas wasn’t without a few hiccups. She was inexplicably benched twice, including the Longhorns’ home win over LSU.
"It was a decision we made," Texas coach Vic Schaefer said following the victory. "We won't go into why I made it, but it was made in shootaround today."
However, to Mwenentanda’s credit, she continued to work hard and stepped up as a regular starter after forward Aaliyah Moore was lost for the season with an injury. By the postseason, Mwenentanda was playing her best basketball. She scored a career-high 19 points in the Longhorns’ win over Illinois in the NCAA tournament, and also played 30 minutes and scored 7 points in their loss to South Carolina in the Final Four.
“I’ve been prepared for this moment since day one, Freshman year, preseason training. It’s really just my teammates having the trust in me, and I’m having the trust in myself. Y’all just saw the most confident version of myself, and it’s only up from here,” Mwenentanda said, heading into their Final Four matchup against the Gamecocks.
Her coach would echo that sentiment. “Ndjak wants to play now. I’m telling you, there’s not a more confident kid in that locker room than Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda,” Schaefer said.
Mwenentanda’s commitment follows a portal recruiting trend for Ralph in bringing in highly rated high school players – such as Jordyn Oliver and Justine Pissott – who had trouble finding prominent roles on deeper rosters.
