As the 2025-26 high school girls basketball season approaches its final weeks, some of the nation's top players continue to shine and strengthen their resume for postseason accolades.
Among those is MaxPreps National Player of the Year, which will be announced in April. Past winners include Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. Today, we narrow the list of candidates to join that list and capture the nation's highest prep hoops honor to five.
Listed alphabetically, see the complete list of finalists below.
Saniyah Hall, SPIRE Academy National (Geneva, Ohio)6-2 | Guard | Senior | USC
The top-rated player in the Class of 2026, Hall is averaging 24.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, helping SPIRE Academy go 19-1. She tallied her 2,000th career point earlier this season and had a 33-point outing against The St. James Academy (Springfield, Va.)that helped SPIRE erase an 18-point deficit.
6-0 | Guard | Senior | South Carolina
Ranked No. 2 nationally by MaxPreps, Sierra Canyon is 30-2 behind 21.3 points per game from Robinson along with 8.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Scored 32 in a 66-62 win over Ontario Christian (Ontario) in the Southern Section Open Division final.
5-6 | Point guard | Junior | Uncommitted
The top-rated player in the Class of 2027 is among the national leaders in scoring at 32.4 points per night. In addition, she is averaging 7.0 assists, 4.8 steals and 3.6 rebounds for the No. 4 Knights (31-2). Smith has gone for 50 or more twice this season.
6-4 | Post | Senior | UConn
The top-rated post in the senior class is averaging 17.8 points and a whopping 18.1 rebounds per game as the Royals (21-5) prepare for the state semifinals Friday. She is also averaging 5.5 assists and 4.4 blocks per game.
6-2 | Wing | Senior | Iowa
Averaging 21.0 points per game while shooting 72.8 percent from the field in 18 games after returning in January from an ACL injury that sidelined her for the second half of her junior year. She Woliczko is also grabbing 10.6 rebounds with 2.5 assists per outing as the Monarchs (26-2) look to return to the Open Division title game for the fifth straight season.
Past MaxPreps National Players of the Year2006 — Jacki Gemelos, St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.)
2007 — Maya Moore, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)
2008 — Nneka Ogwumike, Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas)
2009 — Skylar Diggins, South Bend Washington (South Bend, Ind.)
2010 — Chiney Ogwumike, Cy-Fair
2011 — Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2012 — Breanna Stewart, Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.)
2013 — Diamond DeShields, Norcross (Ga.)
2014 — A'ja Wilson, Heathwood Hall Episcopal (Columbia, S.C.)
2015 — Ali Patberg, Columbus North (Columbus, Ind.)
2016 — Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.)
2017 — Megan Walker, Monacan (Richmond, Va.)
2018 — Christyn Williams, Central Arkansas Christian (North Little Rock, Ark.)
2019 — Azzi Fudd, St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
2020 — Paige Bueckers, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
2021 — Raven Johnson, Westlake (Atlanta)
2022 — Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
2023 — Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon
2024 — Jaloni Cambridge, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
2025 — Aaliyah Chavez, Monterey (Lubbock, Texas)
