A'ja Wilson of Heathwood Hall Episcopal leads the way as our National Player of the Year.
Photos by MaxPreps photographers
So what do you want to eat? Steak or ice cream? Lobster or chocolate cake?
Picking a high school All-American team is liking eating at a great restaurant with a 24-page menu — how do you choose? Players seldom go head to head, and stats are as much a product of competition as talent.
But we have to figure something out, so along with talent and potential, we go by high school production - not individual as much as team production. A girl who gets big numbers and is highly rated by college recruiters gets our attention, but a girl who does both of those and heads up a team that wins a state championship — or winds up in the Xcellent 25 — has a better chance to make one of our teams.
Another factor is injuries. Since we're trying to separate elite players, one way or another, the girl who plays every game gets the edge over the girl who missed 10.
Finally, we'd love to say that there is clear difference between second team and honorable mention, but let's be serious. Every player mentioned is a great high school player, and could just as easily be moved higher — or lower.
With all that in mind, here's to the best of the 2013-14 season, and to the future stars in college and the WNBA. We'll start with the nation's top coach.
COACH OF THE YEARDan Rolfes, Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)In 14 years at IWA, Rolfes has won 368 games and this year won his second-straight Missouri title — and finished second in the
Xcellent 25. A case could be made that the Red Knights should have been first, as they split with No. 1 Blackman, but lost the second matchup.
Rolfes and Incarnate Word won't disappear next year, as plenty of talent returns — and it won't be long until Rolfes gets to celebrate win No. 400.
MaxPreps 2013-14 Girls Basketball All-Americans
FIRST TEAM
Player of the Year
A'ja Wilson, Heathwood Hall Episcopal (Columbia, S.C.)
6-5 | Senior | Post
South CarolinaThe smooth Wilson reminds some of WNBA star Elena Delle Donne, as her size and versatility allow her to handle the ball on the wing as well as post up smaller defenders. Wilson was steadfast that she wouldn't reveal her college choice until this spring, and she held her word until Wednesday, when she chose South Carolina in a televised press conference.
See our Player of the Year feature story on WilsonJordin Canada, Windward (Los Angeles)
5-7 | Senior | Guard
UCLAWindward was the smallest school in terms of enrollment in the brutal Southern California Open Division, and Canada had to carry the load for a team that lacked the depth of most of its opponents. Still, Windward wound up No. 13 in the Xcellent 25, thanks to a point guard with unlimited potential.
Napheesa Collier, Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)
6-2 | Junior | Wing
UndecidedCollier led Incarnate Word to the No. 2 spot in the Xcellent 25, and though her regular season stats — 24.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 2.4 blocks — were impressive, she took her game to another level in the postseason. In the final two games of the Missouri playoffs, she hit 21 of 25 shots from the field and was 10 of 10 from the free throw line as Incarnate Word coasted to the Class 5 title.
Katie Lou Samuelson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
6-3 | Junior | Wing
UndecidedAnother player whose obvious comparison is the sweet-shooting Delle Donne, the third of the three Samuelson sisters (the first two are at Stanford) has tremendous range, a quick release and the toughness to absorb the constant pounding of a rugged schedule.
Victoria Vivians, Scott Central (Forest, Miss.)
6-1 | Senior | Wing
Mississippi StateAs a junior, Vivians averaged 39.7 points per game against admittedly less-than-stellar opposition. But this year she upped that number to an incredible 46.2 ppg. In short, Vivians is a 6-1 scoring machine with plenty of athleticism, and she will be an immediate impact player for Mississippi State.
5-10 | Senior | Guard
TexasAtkins is widely considered one of the top players in the country, even though Duncanville never ventured out of Texas during her career. She's a do-everything guard who is a great get for Karen Aston at Texas.
Kelsey Mitchell, Princeton (Cincinnati)
5-9 | Senior | Guard
Ohio StateIt's fair to say that Princeton doesn't go 29-2 and win the Ohio Division I championship without Mitchell's spectacular 30.2 points per game (plus 3.4 assists and 4.0 steals). She carried the load for Princeton, scoring almost half the team's points in a tremendous senior season.
Mariya Moore, Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)
6-1 | Senior | Forward
LouisvilleMoore is a strong, physical wing who can overpower smaller players in the paint and out-quick bigger players on the perimeter. She led her Salesian team to the state championship game against powerhouse Long Beach Poly — which has about eight times as many students — with her all-around game and ability to rise to the challenge in the clutch.
Jaime Nared, Westview (Portland, Ore.)
6-2 | Senior | Wing
TennesseeOregon is known for its girls basketball, but Nared might as well have been playing in Nepal, as she averaged 29.2 points and 13.8 rebounds a game for 23-6 Westview. She also hit 81 percent of her free throws after using her size and quickness to draw contact near the rim.
Brianna Turner, Manvel (Texas)
6-3 | Senior | Forward
Notre Dame
6-3 | Junior | Post
UndecidedSalmen went 32-1 and won the Louisiana championship, in great part thanks to Brown, the daughter of long-time NBA player P.J. Brown. And she has another year to go.
Sierra Calhoun, Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)
6-0 | Senior | Forward
DukeCalhoun steadily improved throughout her high school career with coach Bob Mackey at Christ the King, and matured into a do-it-all wing whose size and skills should fit right in for an NCAA title contender such as Duke.
Te'a Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)
5-8 | Junior | Guard
UndecidedMcEachern vaulted to No. 15 in the nation, thanks in great part to the all-around play of Cooper, who averaged 19.6 points, 5.8 assists and 4.4 steals a game for Georgia's best team.
Crystal Dangerfield, Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
5-5 | Sophomore | Guard
UndecidedThe best player on the nation's best team, Dangerfield's biggest number wasn't her 14.5 points per game, but rather her 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio against a very solid schedule. And Blackman has almost everyone back next year.
Asia Durr, St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta)
5-9 | Junior | Guard
UndecidedLast year, we said Durr is "the next great Georgia player," and after 24.4 points per game, 7.1 rebounds and a 30-3 record en route to a AAA state championship, there's no reason to shift gears.
5-6 | Senior | Guard
South CarolinaEnergetic, super-quick, super-talented and confident, Cuevas went off for 50 points when Nazareth knocked off Christ the King 84-82 in the New York playoffs. Her decision to play for one of the great point guards in the women's game in Dawn Staley at South Carolina should only make her better.
Sophie Cunningham, Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.)
6-0 | Junior | Forward
MissouriRock Bridge played one of the toughest schedules in the country and Cunningham was a huge reason Rock Bridge wound up No. 5 in the nation. Her size and versatility — she can shoot the 3-pointer and handle the ball — plus her ability to perform against elite competition earned her this spot.
Taylor Rooks, Gill St. Bernard's (Gladstone, N.J.)
6-0 | Senior | Forward
StanfordThe first girl ever to win the New Jersey Gatorade State Player of the Year award twice in a row, Rooks averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds to lead Gill St. Bernard's to a 26-4 record. Her talent is no surprise: Her father George played for the Miami Dolphins.
Azura Stevens, Cary (N.C.)
6-4 | Senior | Forward
DukeStevens missed her junior year with a broken leg, but rebounded in a big way for Cary this season — and yes, that was a play on words, because she averaged 18.1 rebounds a game to go along with 29.6 points for 21-4 Cary.
Shakayla Thomas, Sylacauga (Ala.)
5-11 | Senior | Forward
Florida StateThomas puts the power in power forward, as she's just too strong for high school players to deal with. But she's got more than strength, as she's a plus defender and extremely athletic.
6-2 | Senior | Wing
CaliforniaA smooth wing with leaping ability and skills, Cowling's talent comes naturally. Her older sister was a star at Loyola Marymount, though Mikayla has put together quite a career herself -- and will join teammate Gabby Green at Cal next fall.
Sadie Edwards, Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.)
5-10 | Senior | Guard
ConnecticutThe New Jersey Player of the Year, Edwards led Blair to the Prep B state title, averaging 15.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game. She'll join a stacked UConn team next fall.
Brittany McPhee, Mt. Rainier (Des Moines, Wash.)
6-0 | Senior | Wing
StanfordMcPhee is one of those players who doesn't dazzle except when she scores, rebounds, makes plays and wins. McPhee averaged 27 points and 13.1 rebounds a game, and led her team to a 25-4 record in the competitive Washington 4A bracket.
Gabrielle Ortiz, Prairie (Racine, Wis.)
5-6 | Senior | Guard
OklahomaOrtiz ran the show for The Prairie School, which was 48-4 her last two seasons, but couldn't quite get over the hump and win a Wisconsin state title. Ortiz, though, will get more opportunities at perennial Big 12 power Oklahoma.
Jatarie White, Providence Day (Charlotte, N.C.)
6-4 | Senior | Center
South CarolinaStrength, size and skill helped White lead her North Carolina team to the independent school title -- and she will make a difference at the next level when she travels just a little south to join Dawn Staley's up-and-coming program.
5-9 | Senior | Guard
Southern CaliforniaCalvert is a complete guard with penetration skills and 3-point range. She could step right in for Cynthia Cooper at Southern Cal -- which upset Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament last month.
Marina Mabrey, Manasquan (N.J.)
5-9 | Junior | Guard
UndecidedMabrey had some impressive numbers for Manasquan -- 20.5 points a game, 8.5 rebounds and 39 percent shooting from 3-point range -- but she also recorded those stats in tough New Jersey. Manasquan finally was eliminated by No. 10 Shabazz in the postseason.
Dominique McBryde, Bedford North Lawrence (Bedford, Ind.)
6-1 | Junior | Forward
PurdueThe No. 9 team in the Xcellent 25 didn't rely on stars, but McBryde will do playing the lead. She averaged 15 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3 assists and 3.2 blocks while posting a 1.3 assist/turnover ratio.
Ali Patberg, Columbus North (Ind.)
5-9 | Junior | Guard
Notre DameIn loaded Indiana, Columbus North was very good, but not quite good enough. Still, Patberg averaged 18.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists in a very impressive season.
Calveion Landrum, La Vega (Waco, Texas)
5-10 | Sophomore | Guard
UndecidedLa
Vega's unbeaten season in Texas was under the radar because La Vega is a
3A team and all eyes were on Duncanville. But Landrum's huge numbers --
17.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 4.3 assists per game -- played a big
part in that 36-0 record.
6-2 | Sophomore | Forward
UndecidedEveryone said Elizabethtown was a year away, but Boley wasn't, as 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds a game will show. And that young Elizabethtown team, a year away, went 32-5.
Kennedy Burke, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
6-0 | Junior | Wing
UndecidedOne of the smallest schools in the stacked CIF Southern Section Open Division, Sierra Canyon got bounced early -- but then came roaring back to win a California Division IV state title. And one tall reason was the smooth and versatile Burke, who had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game.
Ayanna Clark, Long Beach Poly (Calif.)
6-2 | Freshman | Center
UndecidedA freshman All-American? Clark still has a ways to go, but on a team packed with talent -- and not enough minutes to go around -- Clark averaged 11.2 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 59 percent from the field.
Lauren Cox, Flower Mound (Texas)
6-4 | Sophomore | Post
UndecidedAlready a USA Basketball favorite, Cox played at the highest level in Texas, and put up some serious numbers for a sophomore: 18.9 points, 14.1 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game.
Gabby Green, Saint Mary's (Albany, Calif.)
6-2 | Senior | Guard
CaliforniaWhen healthy, Green was a devastating combination of perimeter size and all-around skills. Unfortunately, she missed too many games to move up this list.
Kelli Hayes, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
6-1 | Senior | Wing
UCLAThis quintessential glue player has the skills and athleticism to step into the spotlight when needed -- and joins an elite recruiting class for Cori Close at UCLA.
Jordan Hosey, Manvel (Texas)
6-2 | Junior | Wing
UndecidedManvel won the Texas 5A title, and though Brianna Turner had a lot to do with it, so did Hosey, who averaged 14.2 points and 7 rebounds.
Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.)
5-11 | Sophomore | Guard
UndecidedIonescu is a long, skilled guard who can shoot 3-pointers, score inside and work a press. The USA Basketball veteran was the go-to player on a 30-2 team that lost only to No. 25 Salesian.
Brianna Jones, North Babylon (N.Y.)
5-9 | Junior | Guard
UndecidedNorth Babylon went 20-2 in the always-competitive northeast, and Jones was a big reason why. North Babylon went all the way to the AA finals before stumbling.
Aliyah Mazyck, Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)
5-9 | Junior | Guard
UndecidedMazyck was the catalyst for No. 6 Myers Park, the 4A North Carolina champ. She averaged 17. 3 points and 3.3 assists a game as Myers Park finally got over the hump in the postseason.
Natalie Romeo, Carondelet (Concord, Calif.)
5-7 | Senior | Guard
NebraskaRomeo is a point guard who sees the floor, handles pressure, hits 3-pointers and can get to the rim if necessary. Nebraska fans see her as a young Lindsey Moore (now in the WNBA).
Jessica Shepard, Fremont (Neb.)
6-3 | Junior | Post
NebraskaThat scoring total -- 31.8 a game -- will get your attention, but Sheppard wasn't tested as much as many players on this list.
Asha Thomas, Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.)
5-6 | Junior | Guard
UndecidedQuick, able to drain 3-pointers, run the show and penetrate, Thomas is the leader for a team that could push its way into the national picture next year.
