Naismith High School All-American Teams

[f1f1ferrari]

Naismith High School Girls’ All-American Team Announced | Naismith Trophy

Megan Walker - 1st Team
Charli Collier - 3rd Team

Mikayla Coombs & Lexi Gordon - Honorable Mentions

 

[Fairfield Fan]

So much for the meme that "Connecticut gets all the best players." We have just one of the top 10 players in the nation. Tennessee, according to this, just garnered two of the top five.

 

[DriveLH]

So much for the meme that "Connecticut gets all the best players." We have just one of the top 10 players in the nation. Tennessee, according to this, just garnered two of the top five.

Next year, when Tennessee is in the toilet, and UCONN is again favored to win the NC, no one will remember this.

 

[stwainfan]

I think I'm going to really like the class coming in.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Tennessee also has three players on the honorable mention team.

The only two juniors on the top three teams are a UConn verbal (Collier) and a top UConn target (Williams).

 

[MilfordHusky]

Tennessee also has three players on the honorable mention team.

The only two juniors on the top three teams are a UConn verbal (Collier) and a top UConn target (Williams).

It's a very senior-heavy list.

Among the non-senior Honorable Mentions are NaLyssa Smith and Jordan Nixon, both of whom are/were UConn targets.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

To be fair, these are not "rankings," but honors incorporating high school season performances, not just AAU and USA Basketball (which is what most rating services use).

As for getting the best players, obviously, UConn cannot get "all of the best players," given roster limitations, desire for playing time, etc. So that is an incorrect narrative by some media members and analysts (which is why I wish it was not being said).

That being said, for the high school classes of 2012-2017:

ESPN/Hoopgurlz
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#2 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#3 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#6 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#14 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#14 Gabbie Williams (2014)
#29 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#33 Kia Nurse (2014)
#37 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#75 Saniya Chong (2013)

Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#3 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#3 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#5 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#13 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#14 Gabbie Williams (2014)
#17 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#22 Saniya Chong (2013)
#31 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#33 Kia Nurse (2014)

All Star Girls Report
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#2 Megan Walker (2017)
#2 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#2 Gabby Williams (2014)
#2 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#3 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#4 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#4 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#11 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#14 Kia Nurse (2014)
#15 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#20 Saniya Chong (2013)

Prospects Nation
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Kia Nurse (2014 - International List)
#2 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#4 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#18 Gabby Williams (2014)
#22 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#31 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#32 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#75 Saniya Chong (2013)
***NOTE: Prospects Nation did not do 2012 rankings; first year was 2013

***NOTE: Not counting players like Sadie Edwards, De'Janae Boykin, etc. who transferred; also not counting
***NOTE: I got buried at work, so I did not have time to go through the archives for the Blue Star rankings

In any event, while UConn does not get all of the top players, the rankings certainly show that UConn gets plenty of them - not just top ten kids, but top 5/top 6 kids and in successive years.

Now, how they develop while on campus is incredible. The players on these lists who have come to UConn have all improved in each successive year, which is a testament to the tremendous coaching and player development of Geno Auriemma and his staff.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Interesting list, Cam. Thanks! I think each group has its biases and limitations, but I think ASGR was closer on Morgan, Gabby, and Napheesa. I hope they are accurate on Crystal, Mikayla, Lexi, and Andi.

 

[Orangutan]

Someone's got to tell me how Amira Collins made honorable mention All-American when she didn't even make first team All-Conference. Meanwhile, the conference POY, her teammate Mikayla Vaughn, is nowhere to be found on the list.

 

[bags27]

To be fair, these are not "rankings," but honors incorporating high school season performances, not just AAU and USA Basketball (which is what most rating services use).
In any event, while UConn does not get all of the top players, the rankings certainly show that UConn gets plenty of them - not just top ten kids, but top 5/top 6 kids and in successive years.

Now, how they develop while on campus is incredible. The players on these lists who have come to UConn have all improved in each successive year, which is a testament to the tremendous coaching and player development of Geno Auriemma and his staff.

Yup. Basketball fans understand that. What's frustrating to some UConners is that it's not widely known or appreciated outside of this group. They don't appreciate the astonishing amount of effort put in by the coaches and the team to move to the highest level of athletic and mental performance. This is sad for me (I have to listen to my ignorant brother-in-law about this all the time) that people can't appreciate the accomplishments, which happen so rarely in history, but prefer to believe that UConn "just gets the best players." Of course, the great players UConn does get come because of the coaching.

 

[UcMiami]

To be fair, these are not "rankings," but honors incorporating high school season performances, not just AAU and USA Basketball (which is what most rating services use).

As for getting the best players, obviously, UConn cannot get "all of the best players," given roster limitations, desire for playing time, etc. So that is an incorrect narrative by some media members and analysts (which is why I wish it was not being said).

That being said, for the high school classes of 2012-2017:

ESPN/Hoopgurlz
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#2 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#3 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#6 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#14 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#14 Gabbie Williams (2014)
#29 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#33 Kia Nurse (2014)
#37 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#75 Saniya Chong (2013)

Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#3 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#3 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#5 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#13 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#14 Gabbie Williams (2014)
#17 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#22 Saniya Chong (2013)
#31 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#33 Kia Nurse (2014)

All Star Girls Report
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#2 Megan Walker (2017)
#2 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#2 Gabby Williams (2014)
#2 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#3 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#4 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#4 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#11 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#14 Kia Nurse (2014)
#15 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#20 Saniya Chong (2013)

Prospects Nation
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Kia Nurse (2014 - International List)
#2 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#4 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#18 Gabby Williams (2014)
#22 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#31 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#32 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#75 Saniya Chong (2013)
***NOTE: Prospects Nation did not do 2012 rankings; first year was 2013

***NOTE: Not counting players like Sadie Edwards, De'Janae Boykin, etc. who transferred; also not counting
***NOTE: I got buried at work, so I did not have time to go through the archives for the Blue Star rankings

In any event, while UConn does not get all of the top players, the rankings certainly show that UConn gets plenty of them - not just top ten kids, but top 5/top 6 kids and in successive years.

Now, how they develop while on campus is incredible. The players on these lists who have come to UConn have all improved in each successive year, which is a testament to the tremendous coaching and player development of Geno Auriemma and his staff.

Thanks Cam!
That is a six year span (and I think maybe the best six years in terms of ranked HS recruits in their history.) Using 24 as the cutoff for AA status (and I think it works out by actual AAs) that is 9 AA quality players, so 1.5 AAs every year, and a rolling team total of 6 on the team every year. Definitely a recipe for a consistently good team - what is more impressive is that those 9 players are heavily weighted toward top ten with 7 players in the top 6 of their class or a little over one each year. It would be interesting to see what the numbers look like at Baylor, ND, Duke, TN, MD and SC because I think the numbers would be generally similar for AAs but not for the top heavy status of those AAs. It is a fairly small universe that monopolizes the AAs every year.

And as you point out, there are very few duds in the UConn recruiting (that stick around) and they never rest on what they have accomplished yesterday, but are always working to become better and succeeding in that endeavor.

 

[winlots]

Interesting list, Cam. Thanks! I think each group has its biases and limitations, but I think ASGR was closer on Morgan, Gabby, and Napheesa. I hope they are accurate on Crystal, Mikayla, Lexi, and Andi.

\
MIL: you didn't ask for it, but I'm sending an "Amen" on that hope..

 

[Kaizen]

Next year, when Tennessee is in the toilet, and UCONN is again favored to win the NC, no one will remember this.

2017 UConn class may be the best class ever ....LOL

 

[j66kicker]

That being said, for the high school classes of 2012-2017:

ESPN/Hoopgurlz
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#2 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#3 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#6 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#14 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#14 Gabbie Williams (2014)
#29 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#33 Kia Nurse (2014)
#37 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#75 Saniya Chong (2013)

Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#3 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#3 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#5 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#13 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#14 Gabbie Williams (2014)
#17 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#22 Saniya Chong (2013)
#31 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#33 Kia Nurse (2014)

All Star Girls Report
#1 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#1 Breanna Stewart (2012)
#2 Megan Walker (2017)
#2 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#2 Gabby Williams (2014)
#2 Moriah Jefferson (2012)
#3 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#4 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#4 Morgan Tuck (2012)
#11 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#14 Kia Nurse (2014)
#15 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#20 Saniya Chong (2013)

Prospects Nation
#1 Megan Walker (2017)
#1 Kia Nurse (2014 - International List)
#2 Katie Lou Samuelson (2015)
#4 Crystal Dangerfield (2016)
#6 Napheesa Collier (2015)
#18 Gabby Williams (2014)
#22 Lexi Gordon (2017)
#31 Mikayla Coombs (2017)
#32 Andra Espinoza-Hunter (2017)
#75 Saniya Chong (2013)
***NOTE: Prospects Nation did not do 2012 rankings; first year was 2013

***NOTE: Not counting players like Sadie Edwards, De'Janae Boykin, etc. who transferred; also not counting
***NOTE: I got buried at work, so I did not have time to go through the archives for the Blue Star rankings

In any event, while UConn does not get all of the top players, the rankings certainly show that UConn gets plenty of them - not just top ten kids, but top 5/top 6 kids and in successive years.

Now, how they develop while on campus is incredible. The players on these lists who have come to UConn have all improved in each successive year, which is a testament to the tremendous coaching and player development of Geno Auriemma and his staff.

Nice workup - thanks!

I don't think you can underestimate the value of getting THE #1 recruit every 2-3 years. Seems to be working, anyway. IMO having one or two #1's on the roster offsets having a whole bunch of 12-14-16's, etc. (especially if you have several #2, 3, 6, 8's to go along with the #1's - heh heh). Damn we're spoiled. Although the "UConn gets all the best players" thing is technically incorrect, I do sympathize with the gist...

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Next year, when Tennessee is in the toilet, and UCONN is again favored to win the NC, no one will remember this.

Shows how much Geno's coaching matters. Wonder how Tennessee will handle things if they're still not making the FF two years from now....