Alabama women’s basketball continues to build momentum under head coach Kristy Curry. The Crimson Tide is coming off NCAA Tournament berths in two of the last three seasons and signed the No. 12 ranked recruiting class this offseason led by five-star prospect Essence Cody.

Curry and the Crimson Tide were in the mix for Cody’s talent longer than any other program in the nation. Cody, a 6-foot-4 post from Valdosta Ga., received her first Division-1 offer from Alabama ahead of her sophomore season of high school.

“My recruiting process was overwhelming, but then again, it was a lot of fun,” Cody told TideIllustrated. “My first offer was from Alabama and they recruited me since middle school, so I was super excited about that.”

Cody, the No. 22 overall recruit in the 2023 class, became Alabama’s highest-ranked recruit since Kaneisha Horn in 2010 and the first McDonald’s All-American under Curry in her ten seasons in Tuscaloosa.

“I wouldn’t say there’s pressure associated with it, I’m just trying to be patient,” Cody said. “Me being the top recruit here is an honor to represent my family and all the coaches that got me to this point.”

Cody’s evaluation starts with her post-scoring chops. She does a superb job of navigating double teams, sealing defenders, and finishing plays with her touch at the rim.

Additionally, the 18-year-old adds floor-spacing and fluidity from the front-court position that Alabama has lacked since Jasmine Walker, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft, graduated a few seasons back.

“Her humble heart and work ethic, paired with a rare combination of size and perimeter skill, make her one of the most versatile forwards in this class," Curry said of Cody after last November’s early signing period. "Her ability to handle the basketball, shoot the three, and score inside will pay huge dividends in our up-tempo style of play."

As seen on this possession, Cody is an explosive two-foot leaper with the ability to deter shots at the basket. She averaged 12.1 rebounds, 4.9 blocks, and 1.5 deflections per game in her senior season at Valdosta High School (7A).

Last season, Alabama ranked No. 207 nationally in defensive rebound rate (68.4%) – the addition of Cody should help in this area.

“I feel like I’ll be really helpful to the team on defense because of how tall I am, I can rebound, I can defend guards a little bit, and posts,” Cody said. “I can do a lot of things that most can’t do at my size due to my skill.

Cody also mentioned A’ja Wilson, the 2022 WNBA MVP and former South Carolina star, as a player she watches a lot of film on.

Cody and Alabama will be in action for the first time this season when the team heads on its 10-day foreign tour to Spain, beginning Aug. 5.