Mikaylah Williams tops Class of 2023 basketball recruiting rankings

With each new recruiting class comes the opportunity to dive into another wave of standouts.

Now that the school year is nearing an end, we’re shifting our attention to this impressive group in the Class of 2023. We pored over game film, social media and local and national news to compile our first-ever Top 25 women’s basketball recruiting rankings.

Our mission is to keep you abreast of the all of the movement and trends as we move through the 2022-23 NCAA recruiting calendar. We hope you’ll follow along.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mikaylah Williams (@mkwill12_)

1. Mikaylah Williams, 6-1 guard — Parkway HS (La.)

The reigning Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year was also the only junior to be a Naismith Player of the Year finalist. Williams is a shot creator whose success is predicated on patience and speed.

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

Watkins made an immediate impact as an incoming transfer to Sierra Canyon in 2021-22. She averaged 24.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game and was a major factor in the team’s state championship victory. Watkins was named California Girls Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year.

3. Breya Cunningham, 6-4 post — La Jolla Country Day (Calif.)

Cunningham’s strong post presence provides La Jolla Country Day with a formidable scoring option. The post averaged a double-double this season and has already surpassed 1,000 career points in her high school career.

4. Ciera Toomey, 6-3 post — Dunmore HS (Pa.) — UNC commit

Toomey, who committed to North Carolina last week over Duke, UConn, Maryland, Northwestern, Penn and Villanova, shot 67.2 percent from the field during her junior season. She averaged 18.5 points per game.

5. Milaysia Fulwiley, 5-6 point guard — W.J. Keenan HS (S.C.)

Fulwylie has a reputation for breaking defenders’ ankles, and in this year’s South Carolina state title game, the explosive floor general dropped 41 points. It marked W.J. Keenan’s — and Fulwiley’s — third straight state championship.

6. Ashlynn Shade, 5-10 guard — Noblesville HS (Ind.) — UConn commit

Shade committed to UConn in January, and the Gatorade Indiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year has garnered national attention for good reason. This season, she averaged 20.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.7 steals per game, and tied an all-time high with 31 points in the 4A Indiana state championship.

7. KK Arnold, 5-10 point guard — Germantown HS (Wisc.) — UConn commit

This year’s Wisconsin Girls Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year is also committed to UConn. Arnold is a reliable ball-handler with a 2.68-to-1 assists-to-turnover ratio.

8. Madison Booker, 6-1 wing — Germantown HS (Miss.)

Booker plays with high speed and intensity. Her USA Basketball experience and ability to control the pace of a game have attracted the attention of some of the nation’s top programs. Her list includes UConn, Louisville, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

9. Jadyn Donovan, 6-0 guard — Sidwell Friends School (D.C.)

One of the nation’s top guards, Donovan scored 15 points in the Quakers’ State Champions Invitational title game victory. She’s a contributor all over the floor, averaging 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 1.9 blocks during Sidwell Friends’ dominant 30-0 season.

10. Reniya Kelly, 5-5 point guard — Hoover HS (Ala.) — UNC commit

Kelly’s “Broadway” nickname is well-earned; the UNC commit seems to always put on a show. She’s quick and difficult to guard, and she’s never intimidated to take it to the basket. Kelly can also knock it down from deep and shoots over 41 percent from beyond the arc.

11. Aalyah Del Rosario, 6-5 post — Trenton Catholic (N.J.)

Del Rosario plays a complete game, finding ways to shine while also creating opportunities for her teammates. She attacks the interior with consistency, and her ceiling is high.

12. Courtney Ogden, 5-11 wing — Westminster School (Ga.) — Stanford commit

Ogden, a Stanford commit, has the basketball IQ to thrive with the Cardinal, but her versatility and confidence would make her an asset to any program. Ogden can play as a guard or a wing.

13. Taliah Scott, 5-9 guard — Saint John’s Country Day (Fla.) — Arkansas commit

A beacon of offensive efficiency, Scott entered her junior season with more than 1,100 career points. In 2021-22, the Arkansas commit averaged 31.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.4 steals per game.

14. Chloe Kitts, 6-2 forward — DME Academy (Fla.)

Kitts was a key piece for national power DME this season, averaging 18.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. In the GEICO Nationals semifinal against victorious Montverde Academy, nobody scored more points than Kitts. She delivered a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds.

15. Letycia Vasconcelos, 6-7 post — Montverde Academy (Fla.)

The tallest recruit on this list brings length and the ability to finish beneath the basket. Originally from Brazil, Vasconcelos has the strength and toughness in the frontcourt to make her an intriguing NCAA prospect.

🚨🔥 #WarGamesATL 🔥🚨#CGHR | #TheCarolinas
Session 2#FBCUnited- 2023 - 6'7" - Post - Letycia Vasconcelos - Was not having that.... 🤣🤣🤣🤣#CarolinaGirlsHoops #GABallers @InsiderExposure @FBCMotton @coachsasha10 @NYGHoops @savvyfive @KingsRef pic.twitter.com/9QvDTWhMPg

— Carolina Girls Hoops Report (@CarolinaGHoops) July 20, 2020

16. Sammie Wagner, 6-1 wing — Ronald Reagan HS (Texas) — Texas commit

Once a Baylor commit, Wagner is the top-ranked junior in the state of Texas. She averaged 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game last season.

17. Cassandre Prosper, 6-2 forward — Cairine Wilson Secondary School (Ontario)

Prosper is a fighter on both ends of the floor. The dynamic forward is a reliable shooter with a wide wingspan.

18. Hannah Hidalgo, 5-6 point guard – Paul VI HS (N.J.)

With 25.4 points and 4.0 points per game, Hidalgo stands out in a competitive New Jersey scene. She’s a distributor who can step up as a scorer when the team needs her.

19. Jada Williams, 5-6 point guard – La Jolla Country Day (Calif.) — UCLA commit

Williams led La Jolla in assists last season with 4.1 per game. The first commit in UCLA’s Class of 2023 has a knack for finding the basket, even in heavy coverage.

20. Delaney Thomas, 6-2 forward — St. John’s (D.C.)

One of the class’ most balanced players, Thomas averaged 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 2.2 steals per game this past season in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, one of the nation’s most stacked leagues.

21. Montaya Dew, 6-2 forward — Centennial HS (N.V.) — Arizona commit

Dew can impact the game in the frontcourt and around the perimeter. Regardless of where she is, she often finds a way to score.

22. Amiyah Reynolds, 6-0 guard — South Bend Washington (Ind.) — Maryland commit

An integral part of Washington’s state title team, Reynolds averaged 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.8 steals per game this past season.

23. Taylor Woodson, 6-0 guard — Hopkins HS (Minn.) — Michigan commit

An athletic game-changer from Hopkins … where have we heard that before? Woodson is strong off the bounce and unafraid in traffic.

24. Amanda Muse, 6-4 post — Heritage HS (Calif.)

Muse performs at an advanced level below the rim, averaging 17.1 points, 10 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game for Heritage high school this season.

25. Essence Cody, 6-3 post — Valdosta HS (Ga.)

Cody surpassed 1,000 career points in January and has the ability to score inside and out. The talented post averaged 17.6 points, 13.6 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game this past season.

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.