UCLA's Charisma Osborne is Fulfilling Her Destiny

It goes without saying that Charisma Osborne is having one heck of a season… again. The word dominance and the player that is Charisma Osborne are certainly no strangers to one another in a young career that continues to reach new heights with each passing year. What does that include so far exactly? Osborne was named LA Times Player of the Year for the third time in her career, along with being a McDonald's All-American. Her most recent accomplishment? Tying the record for most three-pointers made in UCLA History. At the time of this writing, UCLA is still undefeated. Make no mistake, Osborne is one of the top players in the game, but when the lights go off, she’s still a normal 22-year-old that enjoys cooking, trying new restaurants, and hanging with her teammates.

In-between games, we caught up with Osborne to chat about the season and learn more about what life looks like for her off the court.

RELATED: JuJu Watkins Is Ready For Her Next Chapter

"I love to cook," Osborne, who’s become something of a personal chef for friends and family, says in a quiet voice. While on the court Osborne is a ferocious competitor that doesn’t let up, off the court, she’s quite reserved until you break the ice. That icebreaker comes in the form of basketball. Before we talk about her cooking talents, we back it up to how the 2023-2024 season has been thus far. "It's been great," she tells us, adding: "We've been working really hard and we’re still undefeated." Indeed they are (knocks on wood again). Aside from tying and soon breaking the three-point record, Osborne has been on a tear this year, averaging 14.3 PPG.

The Bruins’ eyes are also set on a prize they didn’t get last year—a championship. "We want to win a championship," Osborne states matter of factly, and looking at the way UCLA is blazing through their competitors this season—the Bruins appear to be a team on a quest for the trophy. 

Now that the ice is broken, we turn the convo back to Osborne’s other love—cooking. "I love cooking and especially baking sweets like cakes, cookies, brownies, and things like that for my friends and family.  I also love to try new restaurants." Living in LA and traveling with her team has also provided Osborne with a chance to try out some of the world's finest dining spots. "There’s this entertainment restaurant in LA called Brooks—it’s really cool because if you order something like popcorn shrimp, they’ll bring it to you in a popcorn container. I also got a chance to travel to Germany with my teammates, and it was fun getting to try out the different restaurants there."

When Osborne isn’t whipping it up in the kitchen and trying out new eateries, she revels in the simple things life has to offer. "I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I like making TikToks with teammates. I’m usually with my friends a lot and we hang out, chill, and go places. When it comes to self care, I also take joy in candles and coloring books. Those are the things that help me to relax."

And when she’s not doing that, Osborne follows a disciplined schedule of practice, school, traveling and games. "I get up at 6am and ride my scooter to the gym—I’m usually the first one there. I like to give myself plenty of time in the morning. After practice, I’ll go to class, study, and do homework—that’s a misconception a lot of people have about us athletes. They think we can skip class and do whatever we want. No, we still have to keep up with our studies."

First one in the gym, last one out—Mamba Mentality—the same mentality that’s led to her being the LA Times’ Player of the Year three times. "When I’m on the court, I’m very serious and focused—people are always telling to smile and laugh more off the court. People think I’m extroverted because of who I am on the court, but off the court, I’m introverted."

As we’re talking I can’t help but notice Charisma’s braids, which are pristine and perfect. My final question? What hair products she recommends for her fellow athletes reading. "I normally keep my hair in braids for convenience and easy styling, and Shea Butter! Shea Butter is a great product to use."

You can continue to keep up with Charisma on both Instagram and TikTok.

RELATED: Brea Beal: The Superstar Athlete With Big Plans For the Future