High school girls basketball: Juju Watkins, Zoe Brooks headline MaxPreps National Player of the Year finalists

Find out who made the cut for the nation's highest honor.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Aaron Williams
By
Mar 3, 2023, 9:00am
As the season winds down and teams continue postseason play, the MaxPreps National Player of the Year race begins to come into focus with five finalists remaining. The announcement will be made March 30.

Past winners include Skylar Diggins, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Paige Bueckers. See the complete list of past winners below and read on for a look at this year's five finalists. Finalists are listed in alphabetical order.
5-foot-8 | Guard | Senior
The leader of the No. 7 Lancers, Brooks showed her grit in a 33-point performance – including the game winner – in a win over No. 9 Paul VI in the South Non-Public A final. The North Carolina State commit played despite a foot injury that had sidelined her for the two previous contests. She is averaging 23 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 5.8 steals per night for the 31-0 Lancers.

Breya Cunningham, La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.)
6-4 | Center | Senior
Averaging 18.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per night, the Arizona commit is looking to lead the 29-3 Torreys to their first CIF title since 2015 and fifth overall. A true big, Cunningham can take over a game in the paint and comes up big when the lights shine brightest for the No. 4 team in the MaxPreps Top 25.

Jadyn Donovan, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
6-0 | Wing | Senior
The Duke commit has led the Quakers to a 26-3 mark and No. 9 spot in the rankings against perhaps the toughest national schedule this season. Donovan is averaging 15.0 points and has scored in double figures in all but four games as Sidwell Friends has battled the likes of Montverde Academy, Sierra Canyon, Long Island Lutheran, Duncanville and South Grand Prairie.

Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
6-1 | Guard | Class of 2023
The reigning MaxPreps National Player of the Year is a USC commit and leads the No. 1 team in the country into the CIF Open Division playoffs looking for a repeat title. Watkins is a force on the court with a complete all-around game. She is averaging 28 points and 14 rebounds per game.

Mikaylah Williams, Parkway (Bossier City, La.)
6-0 | Guard | Class of 2023
The LSU commit has the 29-5 Panthers in the Division I Non-Select state championship game. A 2,000-point career scorer, Williams is a McDonald's All American and was selected to the inaugural USA Nike Hoop Summit squad.

Past MaxPreps National Players of the Year
2006 — 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.)

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