Yet another summer of AAU basketball has come to a close.

As the players in the Class of 2023 prepare to enter their final seasons of high school basketball, Just Women’s Sports is here to provide updated recruiting rankings that indicate where the top 25 players stack up against one another. (You can check out the previous rankings here.)

1 | Mikaylah Williams, Parkway (La.)
6-foot-1 guard
Committed to LSU

Williams remains at the top of the mountain, and for good reason. Since committing to LSU at the end of June, she’s picked up two more gold medals — one with Team USA’s U17 squad and another at the FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup. But what sets her apart? Her stifling defense.

2 | Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon (Calif.)
6-2 guard
Uncommitted

To label Juju Watkins “elite” would be an understatement. She’s the total package — she’s confident and competitive, and she can generate success beneath the rim and beyond the arc, regardless of who has possession of the ball. Over the summer, Watkins was named the Most Valuable Player at the U17 World Cup.

3 | Jadyn Donovan, Sidwell Friends School (District of Columbia)
6-foot guard
Committed to Duke

The Kara Lawson era of Duke women’s basketball got a whole lot more exciting when Donovan verbally committed at the end of August. The elite guard is the highest-ranked Blue Devils recruit since Lawson took over the program.

2023 5 ⭐️ Jadyn Donovan (@DonovanJadyn) committed to Duke! pic.twitter.com/BQPLeilUBO

— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) August 23, 2022

4 | Aalyah Del Rosario, Trenton Catholic (N.J.)
6-6 post
Uncommitted

Del Rosario combines towering height and impressive body control, possessing a skill set not often seen at the college level, let alone high school. She’s declared a final four of potential college destinations — LSU, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

5 | Hannah Hidalgo, Paul VI (N.J.)
5-7 point guard
Uncommitted

Hidalgo is perhaps the most exceptional guard in a deeply competitive New Jersey basketball scene. Her guard skills and elite speed position her as one of the most exciting prospects in this class.

6 | Breya Cunningham, La Jolla Country Day (Calif.)
6-4 forward
Committed to Arizona

One of the most sought-after players in her class, Cunningham committed to Adia Barnes’ program at the end of June. She’ll fit in nicely with an Arizona squad that seems poised to make another run at a national title in the coming years.

7 | Ciera Toomey, Dunmore (Pa.)
6-4 post
Committed to North Carolina

There’s a reason so many of the country’s top programs offered this dynamic post player — she can transform an offense. Toomey surpassed 1,000 career points by the end of her junior season by being a dynamic shot creator.

8 | KK Arnold, Germantown (Wis.)
5-10 point guard
Committed to UConn

Another midwestern, five-star point guard for UConn, Arnold picked up her second gold medal at the end of August as a member of USA’s 3×3 U18 World Cup squad. In 2021, she claimed gold on the U16 national team.

9 | Ashlynn Shade, La Lumiere (Ind.)
5-10 guard
Committed to UConn

After a dominant year with Class 4A state champion Noblesville, Shade will complete her high school career at La Lumiere Prep. There’s little doubt that her eye-popping stat lines will carry through her senior season.

10 | Courtney Ogden, Westminster School (Ga.)
5-11 wing
Committed to Stanford

This is exactly the type of player Tara VanDerveer can count on to thrive at Stanford. Wherever she takes the court, Ogden continues to demonstrate that she’s one of the fiercest competitors in her class. Ogden possesses a true winner’s mentality and an elite on-court IQ to back it up.

11 | Chloe Kitts, Faith Christian Academy (Fla.)
6-2 forward
Uncommitted

In July, Kitts narrowed down her list to five schools — Arizona, Duke, NC State, Oklahoma and South Carolina. She’s a tough defender with strong footwork and would be a major addition to whichever program she picks due to her versatility.

12 | Cassandre Prosper, Cairine Wilson Secondary School (Ontario, Canada)
6-2 forward
Uncommitted

Prosper did not participate in this summer’s U17 World Cup, but she will be suiting up for Canada’s senior national team during training camp alongside WNBA players Natalie Achonwa (Minnesota Lynx), Bridget Carleton (Lynx) and Kia Nurse (Phoenix Mercury). Prosper is part of the future of Canadian basketball.

Fifteen athletes attending 🇨🇦 Senior Women’s National Team training camp ahead of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022.

Canada returns to @CityofEdmonton this week to train ahead of the World Cup.

More details: https://t.co/KJ06mKXVGi#madlove🇨🇦 | #FIBAWWC pic.twitter.com/uonKu5vSCM

— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) August 24, 2022

13 | Jada Williams, La Jolla Country Day (Calif.)
5-8 point guard
Committed to Arizona

Originally committed to UCLA, Williams flipped to Arizona at the beginning of August. Williams is a perfect fit for Adia Barnes’ roster and, as of right now, the only verbal PG commit in the Wildcats’ Class of 2023. Earlier this month, she was featured in Whistle Sports’ “No Days Off” series.

14 | Madison Booker, Germantown (Miss.)
6-1 wing
Uncommitted

Booker started all seven games during the U17 national team’s journey to gold at this summer’s U17 World Cup. She’s reliable all over the floor, including from the free-throw line, where she led the decorated roster with a 91.7 percent free-throw percentage.

15 | Milaysia Fulwiley, W.J. Keenan (S.C.)
5-7 point guard
Uncommitted

It’s no surprise that Fulwiley, the highest-ranked prospect in the state of South Carolina, included the reigning national champion Gamecocks in her final five. What may come as a surprise is that she’s held an offer from the program since she was in seventh grade. The human highlight-reel has amassed more than 2,000 career points at Keenan and is also considering Florida, Louisville, Miami and Ole Miss.

16 | Reniya Kelly, Hoover (Ala.)
5-5 point guard
Committed to North Carolina

Kelly managed to shine on a supremely talented FBC United roster this summer at the Girls Under Armour Association Championships. She isn’t a player opponents want to leave open because she’ll take advantage of the situation every time.

17 | Montaya Dew, Centennial (N.V.)
6-2 forward
Committed to Arizona

Looking for an underrated prospect in this bunch? Look no further than Dew, the first domino in what is shaping up to be an impressive recruiting class for Arizona. Dew thrives in high-pressure situations and is an assist machine.

18 | Kymora Johnson, Saint Annes-Belfield (Va.)
5-7 guard
Uncommitted

The textbook definition of a “floor general,” Johnson made a tremendous difference in the West Virginia Thunder’s GUAA U17 championship run in July. Her leadership is noticeable no matter where she is on the floor, as is her toughness.

19 | Taliah Scott, Saint John’s Country Day (Fla.)
5-9 guard
Committed to Arkansas

Committed to Arkansas since last September, Scott is sure to make an instant impact when she takes the floor as a freshman. Recently, she claimed the 3-point shooting crowns at this summer’s Curry Camp, UA Elite 24 and SLAM Summer Classic, Vol. 4.

20 | Essence Cody, Valdosta (Ga.)
6-3 post
Committed to Alabama

Cody, named the MVP of the UA Elite 24 game, has a high ceiling. Her ability to dominate inside the paint and control the pace of play can change the momentum of any matchup.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Essence cody (@cody_essence)

21 | Delaney Thomas, St. John’s (D.C.)
6-2 forward
Uncommitted

Because St. John’s remains a powerhouse in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region, Thomas is familiar with going up against high-level competition. Her experience and creativity will serve her well at the next level.

22 | S’mya Nichols, Shawnee Mission West (Kan.)
6-foot wing
Uncommitted

While unfortunately unable to take the floor for Team USA at this year’s U18 World Cup due to COVID-19, Nichols has intangibles that allow her to shine regardless of who she plays alongside. She possesses the rare combination of efficiency and effectiveness.

23 | Amiyah Reynolds, South Bend Washington (Ind.)
6-foot guard
Committed to Maryland

Reynolds is a team player with a real shot at winning Indiana Miss Basketball as a high school senior. Brenda Frese knew exactly what she was doing when she recruited Reynolds to a Maryland program in need of a fresh start.

24 | Chloe Clardy, Conway (Ark.)
5-9 guard
Committed to Stanford

There’s really nothing like a dynamic combo guard, especially one like Clardy, a three-level scorer who’s been named all-state each year of her high school career.

25 | Riley Nelson, Clarksburg (Md.)
6-1 guard
Committed to Maryland

Nelson is extremely difficult to guard and will often score against even the most elite defenders. She was perhaps at her best during her final season of AAU ball with the Fairfax Stars this summer, helping lead the team to a third-place finish at Nike Nationals.

Caroline Makauskas is a contributing writer for Just Women’s Sports. She also writes about college basketball for Blue Ribbon Sports and covers a variety of sports on her TikTok @cmakauskas. Follow her on Twitter @cmakauskas.

Baseball dreams became a reality last Thursday, as the Women's Professional Baseball League (WPBL) held its first-ever draft ahead of four-team league's 2026 inaugural season.

WPBL side San Francisco selected pitcher and outfielder Kelsie Whitmore first overall, with the 27-year-old officially becoming the first member of a US women's professional baseball league since the legendary World War II-era AAGPBL folded in 1954.

No stranger to making baseball history, Whitmore has primarily played on men's pro teams throughout her career, becoming the first women to start and to pitch in the MLB partner Atlantic League in 2022 before also breaking multiple glass ceilings in the Pioneer League in 2024.

"I truly didn't know if this moment would come, to be able to have a women's professional baseball league while I'm still in the prime of my career," said Whitmore.

WPBL teams select international stars for debut rosters

While the Savannah Bananas alum is the first member of San Francisco's roster, Los Angeles used its No. 2 pick to snag five-time World Cup winner Ayami Sato — a 35-year-old pitcher from Japan — while New York took former University of Washington softball infielder Kylee Lahners at No. 3 and Boston began its lineup by picking South Korean star catcher Hyeonah Kim at No. 4.

Notably, 24-year-old center fielder Mo'Ne Davis also earned a Top-10 overall selection, with LA tapping the former 2014 Little League World Series pitching star for its debut roster.

Now at 30 players each, the four debut WPBL teams will next whittle their lineups down to 15 players before the inaugural 2026 season.

With five countries — Japan, South Korea, Canada, the Dominican Republic, and the US — represented in the first nine picks in Thursday's WPBL Draft, the sport's global best will be heading to Illinois to kick off baseball's newest era in August.

"[The WPBL is] not just for me, but for a lot of young girls. They now have a platform to look up to," noted Whitmore. "Maybe my daughter one day will be able to play in the league."

The New York Liberty reportedly landed a boss, with multiple sources linking longtime Golden State Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco to the 2024 WNBA champions' head coaching vacancy late last week.

After first joining the Warriors as an intern in 2012, the 40-year-old worked through the Golden State ranks to serve in both an assistant and player development capacity for the NBA side.

Exiting as as front-of-bench assistant, DeMarco aided the team to an impressive four NBA championships (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) during his tenure.

DeMarco also has experience on the international sideline, leading the Bahama men's national team from June 2019 until August 2025.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Recent WNBA hiring trends have favored NBA vets, with Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Alex Sarama recently named head coach of 2026 expansion side Portland while Seattle tapped former Memphis Grizzlies assistant Sonia Raman as the Storm's new sideline leader.

According to ESPN, additional top candidates for the New York Liberty opening vacated by now-Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello included Toronto Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela, ex-Brooklyn Nets and current Charlotte Hornets assistant Will Weaver, and former assistant to the NBA's Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks Kristi Toliver, the current associate head coach for the Phoenix Mercury.

As all but two Liberty players enter free agency, New York is aiming to keep stars like Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu on its roster — with the hiring of DeMarco potentially playing game-changer in some of those contract negotiations.

ESPN reported that Bay Area product Ionescu apparently reached out to Golden State Warriors icon Steph Curry to ask about DeMarco as part of the hiring process.

Dallas has once again jumped to the front of the line, as the Wings locked down the No. 1 overall pick at the 2026 WNBA Draft, scoring the top draft selection for the second straight year at Sunday's lottery.

The Wings selected UConn star guard Paige Bueckers with last year's No. 1 pick, with the NCAA champion going on to win 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year.

"We've got an exciting young group, and we really bond together," said Dallas Wings forward and 2023's overall No. 3 draftee Maddy Siegrist. "I'm excited to bring someone else in."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

In the rest of Sunday night's 2026 lottery results, the league's rich got richer, with 2025 WNBA playoff contenders the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm claiming the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively, after both teams gained draft assets via trades.

The Washington Mystics will boost their already impressive young roster with the fourth draft pick in April, while the Chicago Sky snagged the fifth and final lottery spot on Sunday.

With 2026 WNBA season expanding to 15 teams, the league's two incoming expansion sides — the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire — will select in the Nos. 6 and 7 spots.

As for the 2026 class, top NCAA prospects including UConn guard Azzi Fudd, UCLA center Lauren Betts, and TCU guard Olivia Miles — as well as international star Awa Fam from Spain — are likely to earn early selections in April's WNBA Draft.

The first Top 10 classic of the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season delivered on Friday, as No. 1 UConn survived No. 6 Michigan 72-69 — just barely keeping their unbeaten streak alive.

Guards on both sides stood out, with Husky senior Azzi Fudd scoring a game-high 31 points while Wolverine sophomore Syla Swords put UConn on notice with 29 points of her own.

"Those are two of the best shooters in the country playing tonight against each other," Huskies boss Geno Auriemma said postgame. "They both put on quite a show."

UConn started strong in the first half, but a dominant third quarter from the Wolverines saw the Huskies' 17-point lead dwindle before Fudd got hot from behind the arc.

"I was proud how we stuck together, and we figured it out in the end," Fudd said afterwards.

While defending national champ UConn remains on top of the early 2025/26 NCAA field, the star is rising for Michigan and their 5-1 record, as the Wolverines jumped eight spots in last week's AP Poll — with another leap possible when the rankings update on Monday afternoon.

Elsewhere, the weekend's lineup featured a few other successful upset bids, with No. 24 Notre Dame taking down No. 11 USC 61-59 behind a gritty 22-point performance from Irish star guard Hannah Hidalgo on Friday and unranked mid-major Rhode Island stunning No. 16 NC State with a 68-63 Wolfpack loss on Sunday.