Leah Macy got a scholarship offer from Kentucky coach Kyra Elzy before her high school freshman season even started. (Photo by Twitter)
Leah Macy, one of Kentucky’s top freshmen high school basketball players, will have a chance to play for USA Basketball.
The Louisville Mercy standout will be attending the USA Basketball under 17 tryouts in Colorado Springs May 26-29. If she is picked as one of the 12 finalists, she will stay a few more days in Colorado with the team that will play in the Women’s Under 17 World Cup July 9-17 in Debrecen, Hungary.
“I will be one of the youngest players there,” said Macy, a 6-2 post player. “If I would make the team, I would be gone for 20-some straight days.”
She averaged 20.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.2 steals and 2.1 blocks per game last season for Mercer (23-9) while shooting 62 percent overall from the field and 79 percent at the foul line. She even made 17 3-pointers from the center position. Macy had 31 points and 17 rebounds in a 98-96 double overtime win over eventual state champion Sacred Heart and 19 points and 19 rebounds in a win over Bullitt East, the state runner-up.
Macy and Sacred Heart’s ZaKiyah Johnson were the first freshmen to make The Courier-Journal all-state first team since 2010.
She knows being one of the youngest players at the tryout could make it difficult to earn a spot on the team but she’s optimistic.
“I am not a guard, so that helps me. I don’t have to beat out probably 50 players who will be guards,” she said. “And they really don’t care about age. If you are one of the best players, you will make the team. If I perform and play my game, I have nothing to lose because hopefully I will have another chance to make this team next year. I just want to learn and enjoy the experience because most players never get to experience anything like this.”
There are also some nice perks associated with this opportunity.
“They pay for everything except airfare. Meals, hotel, ground transportation are all taken care of. Even if you are not one of the 12 finalists, you also get (USA) gear which is pretty awesome, too,” she said.
AAU play starts this weekend for Macy where college coaches can watch and there will be another open weekend in May before she heads to the USA Basketball tryout.
“Since the season ended I have been lifting (weights) a lot more. I am going to maintain that but also probably run more. I will do sprints to stay in top shape to compete with the older players,” she said. “I think my strength level will be fine. I just have to maintain my conditioning to where I can run for a while against a lot of really good players because I know everybody gets motivated to play and represent your country.”
Macy visited Kentucky for Big Blue Madness before the 2021-22 season started as did Johnson. Both were also named to ESPN’s 2025 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings watch list before the season started.
Macy already has an impressive list of college scholarship offers from Louisville, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida State, Oklahoma, LSU, Arizona, Mississippi State, Illinois, South Florida, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Western Kentucky, Murray and Eastern Kentucky.
