When Aaliyah Moore got a call from Lady Vols basketball, her mother needed to do her own vetting first.
Lashowann Smith went into "mama bear mode" said Moore, who entered the transfer portal in April after spending the previous five seasons at Texas. Smith wanted to have a conversation with Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell before Moore scheduled a visit.
Smith, who Moore called her best friend, wanted to make sure her daughter was making the right decision. She played college basketball at Alabama A&M, so she knows the ins and outs of recruiting.
But she also needed to hear what Caldwell had to say about the Lady Vols' disastrous 16-14 season, which ended with an eight-game losing streak and all eight returners entering the portal in April.
"So my mom
called her, and then she called me back maybe an hour later and was like, 'All right, let's do it. Let's go on the visit,' " Moore said Sept. 25. "My mom said that Coach Kim was very honest, very transparent. She hid nothing, and my mom asked her all types of questions, like a mom would."
Moore relates to Caldwell going into this season, she said, because they both have a chip on their shoulder.
Half of Moore's career with the Longhorns was derailed by injuries, beginning with a torn ACL in her left knee as a sophomore. Tendinitis in her right knee cut her 2024-25 season short – the Longhorns' win over Tennessee was the last game Moore appeared in. Then a knee surgery sidelined Moore for the entire 2025-26 season.
"I have a lot to prove. She has a lot to prove," Moore said. "It's just exciting to have a coach that believes in you, and I also believe in her. I feel like if you have that connection with your players, you can do anything."
Why Aaliyah Moore was sold on Lady Vols
Even though Caldwell passed Smith's initial phone call, Moore still didn't know what to expect going into her visit. But she was going to give Caldwell a chance – and she fell in love with Tennessee.
What really sold it for Moore was her own one-on-one conversation with Caldwell. They discussed her rehab from her surgery, the things Moore wanted to accomplish after her final college season, and Moore found the same honesty that had convinced her mother.
Moore is fully cleared to now and said she feels amazing.
"I've been playing with confidence, and I'm pain-free, which is also really nice," Moore said. "It's been a grind, don't get me wrong. This was the hardest summer of my life, but it was worth it."
Caldwell was also supportive of all Moore's goals. She didn't tell her she wasn't going to be able to accomplish them, she gave her solutions.
"She was like, 'OK, here's the plan of how we're going to do that, and you're going to have everyone behind you and supporting you,' " Moore said. "So that's really nice. I mean, you always want to play for a coach that believes in you. I'm someone where like, if coach believes in me, I'll run through a wall for you."
From facing the system to playing in it
The last time Moore suited up for Texas "feels like forever ago," she said, joking that she felt old.
The Longhorns beat Tennessee 80-76 in Austin on Jan. 23, 2025, which was the only game Caldwell missed during her first season due to the birth of her son three days earlier. Moore scored 11 points with four rebounds and a steal in 32 minutes.
She remembers how quick the Lady Vols were and the battle of both teams full-court pressing the whole game.
"They were also very feisty, and all of them could shoot the heck out of the ball," Moore said. "So we had to guard them on the 3-point line and make them put it on the floor."
Moore has enjoyed the transition to playing in Caldwell's system. The defensive side hasn't been a big adjustment, Moore said, because she's used to denying, pressing and being a physical, gritty team. The biggest adjustment has been the freedom on the offensive side.
Moore's role offensively was restricted at Texas, she said, but Caldwell wants everyone to shoot.
"I'm really excited actually. I've always been a capable three-point shooter, but I really never had a chance to show that," Moore said. "This year, it's like coach gets mad at you if you don't shoot the ball. So I've been letting it fly, and it's been great."
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Aaliyah Moore's mother called Kim Caldwell before Lady Vols basketball visit
