2021-22 MaxPreps Junior All-America Team: Juju Watkins headlines high school girls basketball's best from the Class of 2023

When two of your teammates are daughters of former NBA players — and NBA players who combined to play 28 years in the league — it's hard to get much attention. Especially when one of those players is one of the best in the nation in her class.

But if you're Sierra Canyon's Juju Watkins, the spotlight always finds its way to you. Watkins, the MaxPreps National Junior of the Year, gets to delight Southern California high school fans and some lucky folks around the country for another years with her size, athleticism and skill.

And what they'll see transcends statistics, as a lot of girls around the country put up big numbers. But how many can dunk, drain NBA-range threes and handle the ball like a 5-foot-8 point guard?

The answer, of course, is none — which is why Watkins tops not only this list, but the list of all the players in the country.



The players below were honored for their high school performances, both individual and team. Club and international play were not factored in. Thanks to all the coaches who posted information on MaxPreps and helped us gather statistics. First Team

Breya Cunningham, La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.)
6-4 | Center | Uncommitted
Her inside presence was the starting point for the No. 9 Torreys, and she averaged 18.4 points and 11.9 rebounds for the season. La Jolla Country Day will be formidable again as Cunningham and all the key players return next season.

Milaysia Fulwiley, Keenan (Columbia, S.C.)
5-6 | Point guard | Uncommitted
The numbers — 29.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 4.6 steals a game — speak for themselves, but Fulwiley also led the Raiders to the AAA title.

Gisella Maul, Cedar Park (Texas)
5-10 | Guard | Uncommitted
Texas is always one of the most competitive states in the nation, and Maul averaged 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds a game, shot 50 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from 3-point distance and 84 percent from the free throw line for the 37-0 and 5A champion Timberwolves.

MAXPREPS NATIONAL JUNIOR OF THE YEAR
Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
6-0 | Junior | Wing | Uncommitted
The best player in the country is just a junior, and though it seems almost impossible, Watkins' statistics — 25.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.9 blocks a game — could be even better next year.

Mikaylah Williams, Parkway (Bossier City, La.)
6-0 | Wing | Uncommitted

Kamorea Arnold, Germantown (Wis.)
5-6 | Point guard | UConn
She did it all for the 23-6 Warhawks, averaging 24.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 4.5 steals a game — and Geno Auriemma noticed.

Zoe Brooks, St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
5-10 | Guard | Uncommitted
Paired with All-American Madison St. Rose to give the Lancers one of the deadliest backcourts in the country. Brooks averaged 18.0 points and 3.6 assists a game for the No. 4 team in the MaxPreps Top 25.



Jadyn Donovan, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
6-0 | Forward | Uncommitted
Though she lacks the size of the prototypical power forward, her ability to snake her way inside for rebounds and follow shots made her a key player for the unbeaten and MaxPreps National Champion Quakers. She is also an excellent defender to go along with her 15.2 points and 8.4 rebounds a game.

Chloe Kitts, DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
6-2 | Forward | Uncommitted
Long and athletic, Kitts averaged 18.7 points and 8.2 rebounds a game for the No. 14 team in the country.

Ashlynn Shade, Noblesville (Ind.)
5-9 | Wing | UConn
Shade shined for the Millers — who won the 4A state title — with 20.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

Third Team

Audi Crooks, Bishop Garrigan (Algona, Iowa)
6-3 | Center | Uncommitted
Crooks put up very big numbers — 23.5 points and 12.5 rebounds a game with 72.3 percent shooting — in Iowa's smallest classification, but there's no doubt she would shine at any level.

Natalie Potts, Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)
6-2 | Forward | Uncommitted
The Red Knights finished with a 29-0 record, won the 6A title and were No. 10 in the final MaxPreps Top 25. Potts' 19.3 points and 8.6 rebounds a game were a big reason why.



Qadence Samuels, Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.)
6-1 | Forward | Uncommitted
Samuels scored 15.7 points a game and added 7.4 rebounds against one of the toughest schedules in the county.

Sayvia Sellers, Anchorage Christian (Anchorage, Alaska)
5-7 | Point guard | Uncommitted
The Lions won the 4A championship as Sellers averaged 24.0 points, 6.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds.

Ciera Toomey, Dunmore (Pa.)
6-3 | Forward | Uncommitted
Toomey is long and athletic — she's an excellent golfer, too — and averaged 18.5 points a game while shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Honorable Mention

Chloe Clardy, Conway (Ark.)
5-9 | Guard | Uncommitted
With a mascot like the Wampus Cats, Conway will always be cool, but with a player like Clardy — 25.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game — they're really good in basketball too.

Hannah Hidalgo, Paul VI (Haddonfield, N.J.)
5-6 | Point guard | Uncommitted
Though the Eagles went 24-4 in competitive New Jersey, some overlooked Hidalgo and her 25.4 points and 4.0 assists per game. We didn't.

Donovyn Hunter, South Medford (Medford, Ore.)
5-11 | Guard | Uncommitted
Hunter led the Panthers to a 24-5 record by averaging 22.6 points a game.

Reniya Kelly, Hoover (Ala.)
5-5 | Point guard | North Carolina
Hoover went 33-3 and finished No. 18 in the MaxPreps Top 25 with Kelly leading the way at 14.7 points a game, hitting over 41 percent of her 3-point attempts.

Taliah Scott, St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park, Fla.)
5-9 | Guard | Arkansas
Noting that high school games are just 32 minutes long, the 31.5 points per game average by Scott is equivalent to an NBA player dropping 47 points a game.

Delaney Thomas, St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
6-2 | Forward | Uncommitted
The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference is one of the toughest in the country and Thomas averaged 17.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game against that elite competition.

Samantha Wagner, Reagan (San Antonio)
6-1 | Wing | Texas
Averaged 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds a game for the Rattlers, who went 28-8 in the 6A Division.

Amari Whiting, Burley (Idaho)
5-10 | Guard | Oregon
The Bobcats won the Idaho 4A championship with a 26-1 record with Whiting contributing 26.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 5.7 steals per game.

Sahara Williams, Waterloo West (Waterloo, Iowa)
5-11 | Forward | Uncommitted
Led the Warhawks to a 23-3 record by scoring 19.7 points a game and adding 7.5 rebounds.

Solé Williams, Princeton (Cincinnati)
5-9 | Guard | Uncommitted
The Vikings finished with a 22-4 record in a competitive Ohio high school landscape and Williams contributed 23.2 points a game on 53 percent shooting — including 39 percent from beyond the arc.