High School

High school girls basketball National Player of the Year watchlist for 2024-25

High School on SI will name a National Player of the Year in girls basketball at the end of the 2024-25 season. Here is a list of names vying for the honor

Mitch Stephens

Jazzy Davidson (33) averaged more than 26 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per outing for the 24-4 Clackamas Cavaliers in 2023-24.
Jazzy Davidson (33) averaged more than 26 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per outing for the 24-4 Clackamas Cavaliers in 2023-24. / Photo: Dan Brood

High School on SI, a collaboration between SBLive Sports and Sports Illustrated, will name a National Player of the Year in high school basketball after the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.

A player will be selected for boys' and girls.

High School on SI has already released National Top 25 rankings, along with a preseason All-American team known as the SI Six.

  • HIGH SCHOOL ON SI 6 | Preseason Nation's top 6 players

As we head into the Nike Tournament of Champions — probably the nation's top girls basketball tournament of the season — here is a watchlist for the 2025 National Player of the Year award. This is not a candidate list, which means a player not listed could win the award ... but only time will tell.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCHLIST

(Names are listed in alphabetical order by last name)

1. G/F Darianna “Dee” Alexander, Purcell Marian (Cincinnati), Sr.

The 6-foot-1 wing is a 5-star prospect who has already signed to the University of Cincinnati. Averaged 18.4 points, 8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.5 steals last year. Her team is off to a 5-1 start.

2. C Sienna Betts, Grandview (Aurora, Colo), Sr.

The 6-4 UCLA signee averaged 22.5 points, 15.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game last season. She'll join her sister Lauren at UCLA next season. So far in 2024-25, she's averaging 23.5 points, 18.0 rebounds. 5.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 4.5 blocks per game for the 4-0 Wolves.

3. G Addison Bjorn, Park Hill South (Riverside, Mo), Jr.

The versatile 6-1 standout can play point or shooting guard or small forward. She's the No. 11 junior recruit in the nation, according to ESPN. She has the Panthers off to a 5-0 start in 2024-25.

4. G Divine Bourrage, Davenport North (Iowa), Sr.

Another 5-star recruit, the 6-foot combo guard can contribute in many ways, last year averaging 19.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.8 steals per game.

5. G Aaliyah Chavez, Monterey (Lubbock, Texas), Sr.

Monterey guard Aaliyah Chavez was simply unstoppable as a junior, averaging 37.8 points per game.
Monterey guard Aaliyah Chavez was simply unstoppable as a junior, averaging 37.8 points per game. / Photo by Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal

An unstoppable point guard who scores in bunches, Chavez averaged an astonishing 37.8 points per game last season to go along with 10.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.5 steals. The 5-7 standout topped 50 points five times, leading the Plainsmen to a 31-6 record. Considered the top prospect in all classes, Chavez has her pick of schools, but LSU, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Texas Tech and UCLA appear to be the front runners. the Plainsmen already have a remarkable 21 games (18 wins) under their belts and chavez is averaging 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.7 steals per game.

6. F Brihanna Crittendon, Riversale Ridge (Colo.), Jr.

Ranked the No. 10 player in her class by ESPN, the 6-3 wing is averaging 27.7 points and 3.0 steals per game through six games. Last season she averaged 28.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per game with a high game of 45. She scored more than 40 three times while leading her team to a first state title, scoring 22 points and adding 19 rebounds in the 4A finals, a 50-43 win over Holy Family.

7. G Aaliyah Crump, Montverde Academy, Sr.

Another 5-star from preseason national No. 2 Montverde, the 6-1 standout is a Texas-signee who averaged 24.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 steaps per game last year for Minnetonka (Minn.) last season. She won't need to dominate nearly as much for the Eagles, which she hasn't through six games — all wins — averaging a modest 8.8 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

8. F Jazzy Davidson, Clackamas (Ore.), Sr.

Long, lean and versatile, the 6-1 left-hander does it all for the Cavaliers (24-4 last season), as proven by her game averages of 26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 2.6 assists. Her future USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb called her the "jewel" of the 2025 class, "a true modern, pro-style player," able to "score, create and defend." She led the Cavaliers to a state championship in 2023 and No. 3 finish in Oregon's Class 6A in 2024.

9. F Oliviyah Edwards, Elite Sports Academy (Tacoma, Wash), Jr

The 6-3 forward is the No. 4 ranked junior in the nation, according to ESPN. She has earned her nickname "Big Oh!"

10. G Maddyn Greenway, Providence Academy (Minn.), Jr.

The 4-star recruit with more than 40 offers is the protoypical point guard who last year averaged more than 30 points, seven assists and four steals a game in her first two seasons. Last year the 5-8 standout averaged 34 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 4.5 steals for the state AA state champions.

11. G Saniyah Hall, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla), Jr.

The 5-11 guard is another top transfer into the Eagles. She averaged 25.6 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game last season for state runner-up Laurel of Shaker Heights, Ohio. She's been the top player thus far for the Eagles, averaging 21.8 points per game through six games.

12. G Kate Harpring, Marist (Atlanta, Ga), Jr.

The 5-10 standout is rising up the recruiting ranks after averaging staggering numbers of 27.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.7 steals and 4.3 assists per game last year. She has the Eagles off to a quick 8-1 start in 2024-25. Ranked the No. 2 junior in the Class of 2026 by ESPN.

13. F Jayla Jordyn Jackson, Sidwell Friends (Washington DC), Jr.

Ranked the No. 9 junior in the country, the 6-1 standout averaged 11.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 steals last year for the 25-7 Quakers and rapidly grown those numbers in 2024-25, averaging 24.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in two games thus far.

14. G/F ZaKiyah Johnson, Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky), Sr.

The 5-star recruit is an LSU commit and hopes to rebound from a so-so junior year after back-to-back stellar seasons to start her prep career. Through four games, the 6-1 standout leads the 3-1 Valkyries with a 19.8 points per game average to go along with 7.0 rebounds per contest.

15. F Grace Knox, Etiwanda (Calif.), Sr.

Her numbers haven't been as gaudy as some on the list because she played with two All-Americans last season, but the 6-3 LSU commit still put up 15.9 points, 11.0 rebunds and 2.7 blocks per night. The Eagles (4-4) have played one of the toughest schedules in the country. Look for that to pay dividends as her team fights for a third straight crown.

16. G Natalie Kussow, Arrowhead (Wi.), Jr.

After averaging 18.1 points and 2.6 steals as a sophomore, the 5-11 guard has jumped up considerably to 21.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in 2024-25. She's the No. 16 junior recruit in the country.

17. G Agot Makeer, Montverde Academy, Sr.

On a team loaded with recruiting stars, the 5-star standout is ranked No. 4 in the Class of 2025. The 6-1 wing is averaging 11.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.3 steals per the team's first six games in 2024-25.

18. F Ayla McDowell, Cypress Springs (Cypress, Texas), Sr.

The 6-2 wing is signed to powerhouse South Carolina after averaging more than 19 points and nine rebounds per game last season for the 30-3 Panthers, who are off to a 3-0 start in the 2025-26. She's averaging 24.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in the early going.

19. G Aliyahna “Puff” Morris, Etiwanda (Calif.), Sr.

The Cal signee is ranked the No. 24 player from the Class of 2025 according to ESPN and is nothing but a winner. Though standing only 5-5, Morris' game is huge. She's led Etiwanda to back-to-back California Open Division titles, last season averaging 16.8 points, 5.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game.

20. G Mia Pauldo, Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.), Sr.

The No. 11 ranked senior recruit according to ESPN, Pauldo averaged 199 points, 5.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game for the 29-1 state champions last year. The 5-6 point guard is headed to Tennessee.

21. G Jerzy Robinson, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), Jr.

After Juju Watkins graduated, the Trailblazers figured to struggle somewhat last season, but not with the relentless "beastly" force of Robinson, considered a top-three recruit from the Class of 2026. The 6-footer averaged 22.5 points and 10.8 rebounds for her 31-3 squad, which finished among the top 10 teams in the country. Her father played football at Oregon State. She transferred from Desert Vista (Phoenix), where she averaged 22 points and 8.2 rebounds as a freshman.

22. G Emilee Skinner, Ridgeline (Millville, Utah), Sr.

The 6-foot point guard and Duke signee is ranked the No. 7 senior by ESPN. She led her Millville squad to a second straight state 4A title by averaging 24.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.55 assists and 3.6 steals per game last season. The Riverhawks are off to an 8-0 start in 2024-25 and Skinner is pumping in 24.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

23. G Kaleena Smith, Ontario Christian (Calif.), So.

The 2023-24 SBLive Freshman of the Year lived up to her lofty status before even stepping on campus last season, averaging 34.9 points, 6.5 assists and 4.2 steals while drilling 179 3-pointers at a 41% clip. The top recruit in her class, she led a relative unknown program all the way to a No. 19 national ranking and a 28-5 record. Fearless and a prodigious scorer, the 5-6 standout is also a willing and superb passer. With the addition of 6-foot-6 WNBA-level wing Sydney Douglas (16.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and 5-11 standout Tatianna Griffin (17.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg), both freshmen, she'll likely do even more of that. Smith has the Knights off to an 11-0 start, averaging 22.3 points, 8.4 assists and 4.3 steals per game.

24. C Olivia Vukosa, Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), Jr.

A college-ready post with two more prep seasons to go, the 6-4 standout is the fifth-ranked player in her class by ESPN after averaging 17.5 points, 18.8 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game for the 29-3 Royals leading them to a CHSAA AA title. She was even more productive for Croatia's U16 team, averaging 22.6 points and 17.1 rebounds in the 2023 FIBA U16 European championships. She's a bruiser with growing, massive skills.

25. F. McKenna Woliczko, Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), Jr.

Archbishop Mitty's McKenna Woliczko helped her team hold the No. 1 ranking much of the year before loss to Etiwanda.
Archbishop Mitty's McKenna Woliczko helped her team hold the No. 1 ranking much of the 2023-24 year before loss to Etiwanda. Woliczko was one of six girls named to the High School on SI Preseason All-American list. / Photo by Dennis Lee

Endlessly skilled with an endless motor, all Woliczko does is win, improve and achieve. She was the SBLive National Player of the Year for her class the last two seasons while leading the Monarchs to a combined record of 58-4 and two Northern California titles. Last season she averaged 22.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.8 blocks while shooting 64.6% from the floor. The daughter of two college athletes, the driven junior has added 3-point shooting range. The 6-2 standout has the Monarchs off to a 4-0 start, earning MVP honors at the La Jolla Country Day Sweet 16 tournament. She had 28 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the title game and made two 3-pointers.

Published
Mitch Stephens
MITCH STEPHENS

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

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