The 2023-2024 high school basketball season was one for the record books. We are seeing more high-level programs travel to match up and compete than ever before. Event operators and sponsors are making this more of a reality through financial support and organization to promote this game as we just saw Montverde Academy win the prestigious Chipotle Nationals on the ESPN networks to put a crown on the 2023-2024 season.
The majority of the 2024 class is signed and will hit college campuses this summer. The elite of the 2025 class are emerging, the separation has started to heat up in the class of 2026 and the 2027 class is almost ready for its rankings debut.
We have updated the ESPNW rankings in each of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 classes. Let's take a look at some notable names in each of those classes that need to be on the radars of fans and college coaches alike. Who might be some of the next crop of stars entering the collegiate ranks soon?
2024
Danielle Carnegie
Guard
High school: Grayson (Ga.)
College: Georgia Tech
Carnegie took her game to new heights this high school season and it started with a noticeable dedication to fitness and conditioning. This allowed her to play with more endurance and energy in all facets. She can score the ball in a variety of ways with a rare instinct, averaging 21 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.9 steals this season.
She led Grayson to a top five national ranking in the ESPNW Power Rankings as they tallied a win over IMG (Florida), won the Georgia Class 7A title, and eventually an invite to Chipotle Nationals.
She joins a talented and guard heavy recruiting class headed to Georgia Tech for next season.
Syla Swords
Guard
High school: Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.)
College: Michigan
Swords is a leader and consummate teammate, as her focus on the experience and performance of others makes her outstanding.
She averaged 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and shot 46% from 3 this year. In the last calendar year, she played in the FIBA U19, AmeriCup, and for the Canadian Senior National Team (which qualified for the Paris Olympics in January) before being named a McDonald's, Naismith, and Jordan Brand All-American during the high school season. She will participate in the Nike Hoop Summit on April 13 for the international team.
She heads to Michigan in a heralded recruiting class for Kim Barnes Arico.
Britt Prince
Guard
High school: Elkhorn North (Neb.)
College: Nebraska
Elkhorn North High School opened Prince's freshman year and has now won four Nebraska Class B State championships in a row while coached by Prince's mother, Ann Prince. This season, Britt averaged 26.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.4 assists while shooting 57% from the field overall and 42% from 3.
Prince is a lead guard who has the game to score or facilitate. She is very skilled in ball-screen actions reading several layers of the defense to score or create. The picture-perfect rise on her jump shot is reminiscent of former Texas Tech player Vivian Gray (although Gray was a forward and Price a guard). Her game has the balance of being a long-range threat, but with the handle to shake a defender -- a very tough cover.
Prince heads to Nebraska for coach Amy Williams and will take the Huskers' perimeter game to the next level.
2025
Lauren Hurst
Wing
High school: Cleveland HS (Tenn.)
Club: ETA Thunder (Independent)
Hurst, a two-sport star (Tennessee Gatorade State Volleyball Player of the Year the last two years with multiple DI volleyball scholarship offers), burst on the national scene last summer. Her impressive combination of size and smooth skill caught the eyes of college coaches and our team alike.
This season she averaged 14.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, shot 37% from 3 and 80% from the free throw line while leading her team to the class 4A state semi-final.
Particularly impressive is the natural versatility that Hurst shows on the floor. She has advanced footwork out of off-ball screen actions, post up ability -- finishing with either hand in baby jump-hooks and face up game -- and has logged minutes in lead guard situations. She plays well out of the shot fake and is a quality passer -- both in reads and fundamental delivery. Her height, length and athleticism make her a top prospect for elite programs.
Her recruitment includes: North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Illinois, Georgia Tech, and NC State among others.
Grace Knox
Forward
High school: Etiwanda HS (Calif.)
Club: Cal Sparks (Nike EYBL)
This was a comeback season in a way for Knox. She transferred in from Centennial (Nevada) in the off-season and missed games in the summer with a nagging back injury that kept her from being able to fully train until the fall and the beginning of the high school season. She focused on her baseline of conditioning, core work, and recovery methods to prepare for getting back on the court at an elite level.
Knox has a very deliberate warm up to get herself prepared to compete -- complete with stretching and different movement preparation and sprints. Physically, her frame and musculature have her standing at an impressive stature. Mentally, she is locked in to compete down to the tiniest detail -- her rebounding and defensive effort are outstanding. In a major matchup with LUHI in January, she did not miss a chance to dive on the floor or get in a passing lane to challenge.
Knox's game has grown and as a result, she averaged 16.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, shot an impressive 38.5% from three and 91.4% from the free throw line. Expect her to take the momentum of the high school season to the summer circuit as she takes on a new role with her club.
Recruitment will increase as well, and currently includes schools such as Arizona, Oregon State, Ohio State, Louisville, USC, LSU, Duke, UCLA, Texas, South Carolina, and Notre Dame.
Agot Makeer
Wing
High School: Crestwood Prep (Canada)
Club: Kia Nurse Elite (Nike EYBL)
We mentioned Makeer here in a mid-season analysis, and she did not stop there. Since then, not only has she consistently proven to be the biggest stock-riser in the 2025 class, she took things to a new level. In a January weekend in New York vs IMG, she had 40 points (including 9/12 from the three) and 8 rebounds in a major matchup.
Her season averages of 24.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists while shooting 38.7% from the three have college coaches' full attention. Her size at the guard spot, improved confidence from the three, and her ability to create are a rare combination.
She has been on official visits to North Carolina, Michigan State, and Iowa State and her recruitment includes all of the power conferences.
2026
Jacy Abii
Guard
High school: Frisco Liberty HS (Texas)
Club: IFN (Under Armour Next)
Abii finished the high school season by leading her Frisco Liberty squad to its second consecutive class 5A state championship. She has a strong frame and great size for a perimeter player and, as the year progressed, showed that she has developed into a full-time guard -- occasionally taking on lead guard responsibilities. In her sophomore year, she averaged 20.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 31.1% from the 3.
Abii rebounds tremendously well for a guard and does a great job of initiating the break off of those defensive rebounds, often with the precision advance pass up the floor. She is creating well off the bounce and being more discerning with her shot selection and patience on the floor. This is going to be a huge summer as she looks to return to the USA Basketball Junior National team as it competes in the U17 World Cup in July.
Her recruitment includes schools from all of the power conferences and she has visited a few unofficially as well in the region.
Jayda Porter
Forward/Post
High school: Rock Bridge (Mo.)
Club: Missouri Phenom (Nike EYBL)
Porter is emerging as one of the better post prospects in the 2026 class. Tall with a strong frame, she has quality footwork in the post as well as a face up game, and most importantly touch on her shot -- which has expanded this year to out beyond the 3-point line.
She averaged 18.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.4 blocks this season while leading her team to the Missouri Class 6 semi-finals. We will see her game continue to progress with the physical reps versus comparable athletes with size. She will need to be a bit more physical both defensively and on the glass, however. She has quite the pedigree as well: She is the sibling of multiple high level basketball players, including older brother the Denver Nuggets' Michael Porter, Jr.
Brihanna Crittendon
Forward/Wing
High school: Riverdale Ridge HS (Colo.)
Club: Colorado Lockdown (Select 40)
We checked in on Crittendon early on in the season as well and the return on investment is proving to be well worth the time. She took her squad to a Colorado Class 4A state championship in her sophomore season behind 22 points. Over the course of the season she averaged 28.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 37% (21-for-57) from 3, 70% free throws and 66% inside the arc.
This is a big summer for Crittendon as she makes the jump to the 17U level. She has shown physical improvements this season and will learn to play lower in her stance and apply more physicality defensively and on the boards. She is becoming more comfortable on the perimeter skill-wise, but at her size will have to embrace versatility going forward.
Her recruitment includes schools from all of the power conferences and she and her family plan to start visiting more campuses soon.
Emerging Top 5 in 2027
These handful of freshmen have shown through production and in several evaluation situations that they are showing promise and projection amongst the freshman class.
Kaleena Smith
Point Guard
High school: Ontario Christian (Calif.)
Club: Cal Storm Team Taurasi (Nike EYBL)
Smith may be a small guard, but it does not change her impact on the game. She does not need much space to get her shot off and she can create space generally out of any situation as a pure scorer. Her footwork, base and balance are very rare as she can shoot the ball effectively in all directions and does not need the traditional "squared up" base. She averaged 34.9 points, 6.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds including 41% from 3 (179 made), 83% on free throws and 62% inside arc.
In a playoff game versus national power Sierra Canyon, she had 35 points, including eight 3-pointers. Her passing and ability to read the floor were just as impressive as her scoring in that contest as well. She knows how to move defenders with her eyes, pace changing and penetration and is also savvy defensively -- both on the ball and in rotation.
Haylen Ayers
Guard
High school: University School of Jackson (Tenn.)
Club: Tennessee Flight (Nike EYBL)
Ayers is a multi-sport athlete sharing her time on the basketball court with dominance on the softball field as well. She is skilled and poised and makes advanced reads and decisions on the basketball floor and her patience and fundamental base allow her to bring a calm competitiveness to her teams.
Ayers hunts shots and is comfortable carrying the load of facilitation and leading a team. Her eyes are always up surveying the floor, she is vocal and confident, and does the subtle things that display an advanced understanding of the game -- from defensive reads to the way she gets open off pin-down screens.
She led her team to a Tennessee Division 2 Class A State Championship averaging 20 points, 7.1 rebounds while shooting 38.7% from 3 and 77% from the free throw line.
Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka
Forward
High school: Bullis School (Mary.)
Club: WV Thunder (Under Armour Next)
Wilson-Manyacka already has an imposing frame and strength as a freshman. The fact that she plays with the energy and competitive motor in conjunction with those physical advantages is the foundation of what makes her elite. As her varsity experience gave her reps against other quality players, she started to refine a skill set that is steadily improving.
She averaged 15.6 points and 10.3 rebounds this season for her Bullis School squad that made an impression in the talent rich DMV region. She values the controllable parts of the game -- rebounding effort, defensive focus, and being a quality teammate -- and as time passes, she has truly elite potential. Her summer schedule will be one of the best in the country as she will team up with other top five caliber prospects.
Jordyn Palmer
Wing
High school: Westtown School (Pa.)
Club: Philly Rise (Nike EYBL)
Palmer is mature beyond her years on the court and is comfortable all over the floor, in all situations. She is physical in and around the paint with a veteran's shooting touch out beyond the 3-point line.
Getting to the paint, Palmer plays off two feet, allowing balance and quality decision making. She can score it with a savvy fade-away mid-range shot or power her way to the rim. She probes the floor well and does not miss the pass to create a shot for a teammate. This season she averaged 17.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 4.2 blocks and 3.4 steals. She will play an elite summer schedule and her game should continue to grow.
Micah Ojo
Wing
High school: Princess Anne HS (Va.)
Club: YKS (Select 40)
Ojo led her Princess Anne team, a traditional Virginia public school power, to a Class 5 state championship as a freshman. She has a very long frame and is smooth in transition as she gets up and down the floor quickly. Ojo has a versatile feel to her game with a great foundation of fundamentals and is comfortable all over the floor. She sprints the floor in transition, slashes, makes quality reads and passes, and even spots up for the 3 on the break. The detail that stood out the most, however, is that she plays off two feet in the paint -- which is a hard habit to get players to pick up it seems these days.
The release point on her shot is still a little low, but that will improve with strength and reps. Her season averages were 18.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 4.4 steals per game.