Video: All-American Girls Basketball Team
See the honorees from the most recent season.In an age when every 11-year-old's game is analyzed down to the strength of the left-to-right crossover, it's hard to find a Cinderella story – but it seems like every time USA Basketball holds an open tryout, someone emerges out of the blue from the hordes of eager young girls to claim a spot on a national team roster and a place at the table when it comes to discussions of Power 5 conference recruits.
The classic story belongs to Sabrina Ionescu, who not only wasn't one of the 35 invitees competing for 12 spots in 2013, but also was a complete unknown even back in her Bay Area home. But each time the numbers of the jerseys of those still in the hunt for a spot was posted on the door to the gym at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, her number was there – and she was still alive.
And then, on the last morning, after surviving cut after cut, her name was called as one of the top 12 players in the country for her age group. And from there, Ionescu's career took off. Now she is the top remaining 2016 grad who hasn't signed, but Washington and Oregon fans are eagerly awaiting her final decision as she is viewed as an instant impact player in the tough Pac-12.
So naturally the question this year is: Who will it be this time?
There are 146 girls chasing a spot on the Under-17 National Team that will travel to the FIBA World Championships in Spain this summer, and one group would seem to have a significant advantage: The dozen girls who played in last year's U-16 Americas Championships.
There's only one catch, though: That team, stunningly, finished third, losing to Brazil in the semifinals, and the selection committee may be looking for some new faces this year.
Or not. The open tryouts are important, as they match the top players in the country in a series of scrimmages that tend to bring out the best in everyone. But so is international experience, as everything from food to officiating is different from the way things are in American high schools and on the summer circuit.
So Class of 2017 player
Alexis Morris of
Legacy Christian Academy (Beaumont, Texas), the leading scorer on last year's team at 13.6 points per game, probably has a very good shot, as do the other two double-digit scorers for the U-16 team, both 2017 grads: UConn commit
Andra Espinoza from
Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) and
Destiny Littleton from
Bishop's (La Jolla, Calif.).
Jade Williams of
Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) (2017),
Honesty Scott-Grayson from Blair Academy (2018) and Texas Tech commit
Desiree Caldwell of
Frenship (Wolfforth, Texas) (2018) also played big roles last summer, though the biggest of all was 6-foot-7 Class of 2018 player
Sedona Prince from
Liberty Hill (Texas) -- but there are plenty of challengers for the coveted spots.
Desiree Caldwell, Frenship
Photo by John Moore
For example, Class of 2017 player
Lexi Gordon of
Bell (Hurst, Texas) has committed to UConn, while others come from elite high school programs:
Zarielle Green of
Duncanville (Texas) (2018), for example, played for the unbeaten national champions, and
Amira Collins of
Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) (2018),
Rennia Davis of
Ribault (Jacksonville, Fla.) (2017),
Ashley Owusu of Paul VI (2019),
Maya Dodson of
St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.) (2017) and
Kasiyahna Kushkituah of St. Francis (2017) all played for top 10 teams in the Xcellent 25 National Girls Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard.
Still, though the eyes of the assembled media and selection committee will begin by focusing on some of these familiar names, some stars will fall and others will rise through the weekend – and maybe one of those unfamiliar faces will wind up heading to Spain in late June.
Who will it be this time?
