Notre Dame Women’s Basketball: KK Bransford transfers to UCLA

TL;DR

KK Bransford has transferred from Notre Dame to UCLA, following the Bruins' national championship win. This move is significant for both teams, impacting Notre Dame's title hopes and UCLA's roster rebuilding efforts.

Key points

KK Bransford transfers from Notre Dame to UCLA
UCLA is the reigning national champion
Notre Dame loses key players for next season
UCLA aims to reload its roster after WNBA departures
Notre Dame adds players from the transfer portal

KK BransfordNotre Dame Fighting IrishUCLA BruinsHannah Hidalgo

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - MARCH 29: Kk Bransford #14 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on against the UConn Huskies in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Dickies Arena on March 29, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images In a somewhat surprising move, Notre Dame’s KK Bransford announced that she has committed to the UCLA Bruins via the transfer portal. UCLA is the reigning national champion, but just sent all of its starters to the WNBA. So, I think it’s safe to presume that the Bruins have some NIL money to spend as they look to quickly reload its roster to compete again in the Big Ten and in the NCAA Tournament. There’s no denying that this is a big blow to Notre Dame. The hopes for next season were that Hannah Hidalgo would have Cassandre Prosper and KK Bransford back for a title run, but that hope was dashed when Prosper entered the WNBA Draft and was selected 19th overall by the Washington Mystics. Notre Dame did pick up two very important players from the transfer portal in Princeton’s Madison St. Rose and Louisville’s Anaya Hardy, and has some very talented freshmen coming in such as 5-Star Jacy Abii — but a veteran defection like this wasn’t part of the known plan.

Q&A

Why did KK Bransford transfer from Notre Dame to UCLA?

KK Bransford transferred to UCLA as the Bruins look to reload their roster after sending all starters to the WNBA.

How will KK Bransford's transfer affect Notre Dame's basketball team?

Bransford's departure is a significant blow to Notre Dame's title aspirations, especially after losing another key player, Cassandre Prosper, to the WNBA Draft.

What are UCLA's plans after losing all its starters to the WNBA?

UCLA aims to quickly rebuild its roster with new talent, including transfers and potentially utilizing NIL funds.