At the end of the 2025-26 season, the top-scoring freshman in the country had a decision to make.
Naomi White chose to enter the transfer portal, hoping for an opportunity to play in the sport’s premier conference.
Just days after the portal opened, she found it.
White made her way to Rocky Top, where she visited the Lady Vols’ storied program and ultimately made her decision.
One that had her parents leaping for joy.
“They were so happy,” White said. “They were jumping, hugging me. It was really special to have them there when I made the decision.”
The commitment came quickly, but the decision was built on trust.
“With the coaching staff, they were very transparent with everything,” White said. “With every question they answered, they answered it perfectly, and I trust and believe in them wholeheartedly.”
Part of the conversation also centered on how the former Northern Arizona guard’s role would translate.
“They showed me how I fit into their system, and that solidified everything,” White said.
And that clarity helped separate Tennessee from the rest. During her visit, White also got a firsthand look at what the program represents, a moment that left her emotional.
“It was like a wave of emotion hit me immediately,” White said. “I’m not typically an emotional person.”
“I almost started crying,” she added. “Just looking up and seeing the rafters, the national championships, the retired jerseys, it was insane. It was just a blessing to even see that, and I was so grateful. Now I get to be a part of something like that.”
Putting on the Tennessee uniform only reinforced that feeling.
“It was surreal. It was crazy,” White said. “I’ve always dreamed of playing in a higher conference, and the SEC is the biggest conference in the world. Seeing Tennessee across my chest was insane. Candace Parker played there, and she’s such a big part of women’s basketball, along with so many others. Just wearing that jersey, dribbling, posing, it was unreal.”
The commitment marked a new chapter, but the path to that moment wasn’t straightforward.
Out of high school, White signed with Grand Canyon University, where she was unexpectedly redshirted and for the first time, doubt began to creep in.
“The redshirt was very out of the blue,” White said. “I was just like maybe I’m not good enough.”
But instead of pulling away, she leaned into her work and her faith.
“I saw the work that I put in,” she said. “I leaned more into my faith… and trusted the process.”
That season on the sidelines became a foundation.
“I learned what it takes to play at this level, to be in college shape, defensive tendencies, how to grow as a player,” White said.
Then her next stop at Northern Arizona turned that growth into production.
There, White emerged as one of the top-scoring freshmen in the country, drawing national attention and becoming the focal point of opposing defenses.
“It just made me want to work harder. I want people to watch me and say… ‘She can do big things.’”
“Being face-guarded meant a lot of attention was on me, but I had great teammates who could score,” White added. “It actually helped open things up for them, and that helped me too.”
Even with the added defensive attention, White set multiple program records, was named Big Sky Freshman of the Year and earned first-team all-conference honors in her redshirt freshman season.
Through every step of that journey, her family remained a constant.
“I’m in a blended family,” White said. “So, really, it’s just been like I’ve played against my brothers in sports, in basketball. I played against them. I play against my dad. My mom, she is more of the leadership side and the mental side. So, she helps me with that. She helps me prepare for things and keeping my mental good. My dad helps with me getting better at the things that I want to get better at and what he thinks that I should get better at because he’s been around basketball a lot.”
That support system was part of what made her decision so meaningful.
“You go through things for a reason. God has a plan for everything,” White said. “I just believed in Him, trusted in Him, stayed patient, and prayed. Now I’m in a place I’m so grateful for.”
Now, White heads to Tennessee with a clear sense of purpose and a vision for what comes next.
“I think they really develop people into being pros and making them able to play in the WNBA, and that’s my main goal,” she said.
For Lady Vol fans, she hopes to bring both production and personality.
“I’m a very hard worker,” White said. “I love to shoot, celebrate, and interact with fans. I’m very faith-based. And I’m just really excited to play in front of them and see the arena full.”
