Year after year, Kentucky women’s basketball has struggled to recruit height to its program, and this has proved to be a massive factor in the Wildcats’ lack of success over time.

However, Head Coach Kenny Brooks has been able to craft one of Kentucky’s tallest rosters to date for the 2024-25 season.

Out of the thirteen-man roster, eight stand at 6-foot-1 or taller; four reach 6-foot-3 and two are 6-foot-5 or taller.

The Cats’ size advantage is unlike anything Big Blue Nation has seen, proving that this transfer class will produce night after night. In fact, with only two games under its belt, Kentucky was the best shot-blocking team in the nation, with an average of 14 blocks per game. 

The Wildcats also ranked 21st in scoring defense (42 PPG) and 24th in defensive rebounds per game (33.5).

Now, who are the two Wildcats leading the team in their success? The center duo that makes Kentucky one of the strongest defensive teams in the country: the Claras.

Clara Silva, a freshman from Portugal, stands at a towering 6-foot-7, making her the second player in Kentucky women’s basketball history to reach that height. 

She has already made a name for herself with her exceptional performance, as well, with 11 recorded blocks against USC Upstate and Northern Kentucky, tying for second in the nation for blocks per game.

“She’s as skilled as any player I’ve ever had at that position. She’s taller than any player I’ve ever had at that position,” Brooks said.

Silva quickly became one of the world’s top international prospects in the 2024 class and, at only 18 years old, has shined tremendously in international play, spending the summer playing for the Portugal U18 team and going undefeated in the EuroBasket group phase during the FIBA U18 EuroBasket Championships. 

Silva initially committed to Virginia Tech, however, like many others, she switched to Kentucky to play under Brooks. 

“There’s been plenty of websites who said if she were American, she probably would have been a top 10 player coming out in a high school class,” Brooks explained.

Only two players in the SEC are at or above Silva’s height: Rocío Jiménez out of Mississippi State is also 6-foot-7, and the only player who stands above both is Texas’ Abbie Boutilier, who, at an impressive 6-foot-9, is one of the tallest players in women’s basketball history and currently the tallest player in the country by a few inches.

Only fifteen players in the NCAA are about 6-foot-7, giving Kentucky a height advantage it has never consistently had.

Standing just a couple inches below Silva is center Clara Strack, one of Brooks’ former Hookies, who reaches just above 6-foot-5.

Like Silva, Strack has proven to be a juggernaut for Kentucky, but on the other side of the court, leading the team with 18.5 points per game.

Together, the Claras are the tallest center duo in the SEC and are proving to be one of the most dominant. 

“I love playing with her, I think we have great chemistry playing together,” Silva said. 

With forward Teonni Key also at 6-foot-4 and Amelia Hassett at 6-foot-3, the four make up the tallest frontcourt in the SEC, averaging a height just shy of Key’s.

“That’s a really tall team for a lot of men’s mid-major programs,” Brooks said. “So, for us to be able to put that out there and have that capability, it’s a lot of fun.”

Brooks has proven successful in developing tall talent at the collegiate level as seen in, most notably, his last season at Virginia Tech with his All-American Elizabeth Kitley, who was selected 24th overall in the 2024 WNBA draft.

Kitley graduated as one of the greatest players in Virginia Tech history – her accomplishments included ranking first in games started, minutes played, points scored, double-doubles and blocks for Tech, as well as becoming the only woman in ACC history to record 2,500 points and 1,500 rebounds.

Luckily for the Cats, the woman who was training right beside her and eventually took over her spot after she suffered an ACL tear in the NCAA Tournament now occupies a place on Kentucky’s roster.

Strack spent most of her freshman year sitting behind Kitley, watching and learning from the center, which had taken the Hokies to a Final Four the year prior.

While it was expected that Strack would not see much playing time in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, a season-ending injury forced her to take the court when it mattered most: the first round of March Madness. 

She recorded 17 points (7-of-7 shooting), five rebounds, four blocks and two assists to help Virginia Tech beat Marshall in the first round. In the second round, she posted 18 points (6-of-8 shooting), ten rebounds, two assists and two blocks against Baylor.

“Coach Brooks pushed a lot with me to be a leader, talk more and help everyone out more,” Strack said.

Her understanding of high-pressure situations and having to step up into a leadership position under Brooks has given her a unique perspective on the court.  

“I think that my experience with that has helped me,” Strack said. “I’ve become a leader here, and I think that it is important for me to continue to do great.”

While she only ever started two games at Virginia Tech, Brooks has made it very clear that he knows the kind of talent she has and the influence she will have on the freshman-heavy roster. 

“She stepped up, and I think she averaged 18 and 10 in the NCAA Tournament,” he said. “I think she’s continued on that stretch. She provides that. I just have to see it consistently.”

With the Claras leading the charge, Kentucky’s towering defense is ready to leave a mark on the nation as conference play quickly approaches – and its height advantage might just be the game-changer it has been waiting for.

The Kentucky Wildcats will return on Saturday, Nov. 16, facing off against their first-ranked opponent of the 2024 season, hosting the No. 18 Louisville Cardinals in a game expected to be a thriller.

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET and will be streamed on the SEC Network +.