How Savvy Swords, Emily McDonald stayed together with Kentucky WBB

When Savvy Swords committed to Kentucky women’s basketball in June 2025, there was another task at hand. She was looking to convince her high school teammate, Emily McDonald, to join her without being overbearing.

“I was trying not to be too annoying, not to scare her away, but I wanted her to make sure she knew she would do great here,” Swords told The Courier Journal. “I thought it would work out great. I definitely tried, but I didn’t want to be too much.”

Swords and McDonald joined forces at Long Island Lutheran High School — commonly known as “LuHi” — in Brookville, New York. The basketball powerhouse is the only program in the country to ever have three McDonald’s All-Americans in the same season, and it’s done so twice, including last season with McDonald and Swords joining Olivia Jones (a Vanderbilt pledge) on the East roster.

Swords’ recruiting ultimately worked on McDonald, who committed to Kentucky last October. But the decision wasn’t so simple.

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The offers continued to pour in, and McDonald received opportunities to play for schools like South Carolina and UCLA, among many others. But with Swords in her corner, the thought of playing at Kentucky always lingered.

A few months had gone by, and as the decision date set by McDonald loomed near, Swords had a gut feeling on what her LuHi teammate would do.

“Leading up to it, I was kind of getting the vibe, but obviously it’s not done until she says and makes the decision,” Swords said. “When she told me, I was so excited. We were jumping around together. It was great.”

Though playing with Swords is a major benefit, reuniting with her former teammate isn’t the only reason McDonald came to Kentucky.

“Savvy committed first, and I was still in between Kentucky and a few other schools,” McDonald told The Courier Journal. “I told her I’d think about it, but I didn’t make the decision just because of her. It was also because I really liked the coaches and the culture, but she was definitely a piece, an aspect that made Kentucky feel like home.”

It often takes time for college teams to gel with new rosters coming together every year. The transfer portal adds to the chaos and freshmen are trying to get up to speed. But the two talented guards arrived in Lexington with an established rapport, something that can’t be replaced.

After receiving the commitment from McDonald, Brooks had assembled one of the best freshman classes in the entire country. Alongside the two LuHi products was Maddyn Greenway, a five-star point guard out of Providence Academy in Wayzata, Minnesota.

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The three signees went about their high school seasons, and then found out in February 2026 they had all earned McDonald’s All-American status, allowing that title and game to lend a hand in building relationships prior to getting to campus.

“Once we had all committed, we got to know each other,” Greenway said. “I think our personalities are similar and that makes it fun. You go through tough things together on the court and can lean into them.”

The honor cements the trio in Wildcat history as part of an exclusive list. Kentucky has signed 12 McDonald’s All-Americans in program history, and 25% of them will reside in the Bluegrass State this season.

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With those accolades comes a high level of play, and Swords grew up around that.

Her father, Shawn, is a former pro who competed for Canada in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and is now the head coach of the NBA G League’s Long Island Nets. Her mother, Shelley, played basketball at Laurentian University in Ontario, where she met Shawn.

Swords’ older sister is also a well-established basketball player. Syla Swords, a rising junior at the University of Michigan, made the All-Big Ten first team and helped lead the Wolverines to the Elite Eight last season. Growing up, the workouts were intense. Their mom, whom Savvy Swords called “the shot doctor,” was there to push both sisters.

The younger Swords brings a unique skill set to Kentucky. She’s a 6-foot-2 forward who can play on the wing or in the post. She can stretch the floor, is quick enough to defend multiple positions and can score in a variety of ways, including popping out and knocking down shots from behind the 3-point line.

Like Swords, McDonald joins the roster with a high pedigree, but she arrives with a different set of skills. The 6-foot combo guard is one of the best shooters in her class. She can knock it down at a high rate from behind the arc, move the ball and also help space the floor.

In coming to Kentucky, McDonald had another influence outside of Swords. All-American center Clara Strack — a fellow Buffalo, New York, native — helped out as well.

“She’s helped me along the way and answered any questions I had about Kentucky,” McDonald said. “She’s been a great role model already. She’s so versatile and really fun to play with.”

While there’s always an adjustment from high school to college, McDonald and Swords have the dual advantage of coming from a top hoops program and being familiar and comfortable with each other. Swords’ subtle recruiting paid off, and the two friends could have a bright future in Lexington.

Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on X at @alainammorris.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How Savvy Swords, Emily McDonald stayed together with Kentucky WBB