Twenty-four of the top 29 prospects in the espnW 100 are McDonald’s All Americans.
We take a closer look at the All Americans in the 2022 recruiting class, how they have developed and what they will bring to their respective college programs before they play in the historic event in Chicago on March 29.
F Janiah Barker
Montverde Academy (Fla.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 3
Signed with: Georgia
Barker is a 2021 U18 3×3 World Cup Team USA Basketball gold medalist. As one of the most talented players in the 2022 class, her game has been followed for years now. Her combination of size (6-foot-2), strength, agility and skill makes her a candidate to play for years to come beyond college. She brings the ability to score the ball and space the floor to Georgia next season.
F/P Raegan Beers
Valor Christian HS (Colo.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 10
Signed with: Oregon State
Beers is one of the most physically impressive players in the class. With her 6-2 frame and strength, she is incredibly nimble and agile. She has fantastic hands and can handle the ball in any situation, as well as create off the dribble. She can knock down the 3 and is one of the best passers in the entire class. Oregon State has a proven track record of developing successful post players, and Beers can be the next.
P Lauren Betts
Grandview HS (Colo.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 1
Signed with: Stanford
Betts is a 6-foot-7 post, the top center in the class, a two-time USA Basketball gold medalist and the youngest member of the 2021 U19 World Cup team. The 2021 Gatorade Colorado player of the year will bring a traditional inside presence to a Stanford program that has a history of post development and utilization in both the triangle and Princeton offense schemes.
F/P Isuneh Brady
Cathedral Catholic HS (Calif.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 5
Signed with: UConn
Brady is a smooth operator with an old-school feel to her game. She can be powerful inside while also being a threat to knock down the 3-pointer. Her passing ability might help her most beyond just her physicality when she gets to UConn. When a team can run its offense through a forward or post, things really open up on the floor.
G KK Bransford
Mount Notre Dame HS (Ohio)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 29
Signed with: Notre Dame
Bransford is one of the toughest matchups in the class. She is so strong and physical on the perimeter that it is hard for defenses to keep her from touching the paint. She has a good feel for the post-up game, which allows for advantageous touches and facilitation from close to the rim. Bransford sees the floor and can be a physical defender for Niele Ivey and Notre Dame.
G Paris Clark
Long Island Lutheran HS (N.Y.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 21
Committed to: Arizona
As a guard, Clark is one of the best rebounders from the perimeter in her class. She has fine-tuned her skills over the past couple of years to add consistency to her 3-ball range, as well as her footwork and handle to create off the dribble. She has a natural instinct on the defensive end. She joins fellow All American Maya Nnaji in heading to Arizona.
G Talaysia Cooper
East Clarendon HS (S.C.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 18
Signed with: South Carolina
Cooper is a 6-foot guard with immense talent and creativity in her game. Her length and size are well utilized, as she breaks down opponent defenses and gets to the paint for easy scores or drop-offs. She is dynamic in the open court and will bring playmaking abilities with the potential of lockdown defensive skills to South Carolina.
F/W Timea Gardiner
Fremont HS (Utah)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 6
Signed with: Oregon State
Gardiner brings a wealth of experience to Corvallis, including USA Basketball and GEICO national championship appearances. She is a versatile forward who can play inside, facilitate and score the ball out to the perimeter. She will fill a Taya Corosdale-like role at Oregon State.
PG Aaliyah Gayles
Spring Valley HS (Nev.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 8
Committed to: USC
Gayles has a natural ability to make plays with flair. The way she attacks off the dribble and finds ways into her pull-up jumper, runners or floaters is uncanny. Her footwork and handle allow her to get to spots unlike many others. She will bring great instincts defensively to USC.
PG Chance Gray
Winton Woods HS (Ohio)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 7
Signed with: Oregon
Gray will fit right in at Oregon with her ability to both shoot the ball and play off the dribble. She is a quick guard who can push the ball and play out of the ball screen, as well as put a lot of pressure on the opposing guards defensively. Gray joins All American Grace VanSlooten in the second-ranked recruiting class in the country.
PG Ashlon Jackson
Hardin Jefferson HS (Texas)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 16
Signed with: Duke
Jackson shows some real competitive fire. Her forte is the range on her 3-ball, but she has also become adept at navigating ball screens for scoring or facilitating. Jackson has leadership intangibles that draw teams together. Look for her to continue to grow under Kara Lawson at Duke.
W Gabriela Jaquez
Adolfo Camarillo HS (Calif.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 19
Signed with: UCLA
Jaquez is one of the most complete and competitive players in the class. She can play on the perimeter or guard someone inside; she simply gets the job done on both ends of the floor. Over time, she has added range and skills to her offensive game, and her stock skyrocketed. She is part of the No. 1-ranked class headed to UCLA, joining fellow All American Kiki Rice.
G Flau’jae Johnson
Sprayberry HS (Ga.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 26
Signed with: LSU
Johnson has some serious star potential. Ever since she hit the national radar, her game has incrementally gotten better. Known for her aggressiveness off the dribble, she has improved her ability to create for others, particularly out of the ball screen, and her range on her 3-ball. She is creative and fun to watch in the full court. Kim Mulkey and LSU are getting one of the most gifted scorers in this class.
G Ta’Niya Latson
American Heritage HS (Fla.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 14
Signed with: Florida State
Latson is one of the most explosive guards in the country. Her ability to elevate and finish in traffic and with contact is outstanding. Defensively, she terrorizes opponents on the ball, which generates quick, easy buckets on the offensive end. She will bring a lockdown defender attitude to Florida State.
W/F Darianna Littlepage-Buggs
Classen HS (Okla.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 17
Signed with: Baylor
Littlepage-Buggs is in the conversation as the most versatile defender in the class. Her length and supreme competitiveness help her match up for any assignment. She has one of the best pull-up jumpers in the class and knows how to get to her spots. Nicki Collen and Baylor are getting a player who rebounds well from the wing/forward position.
PG/G Indya Nivar
Apex Friendship HS (N.C.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 20
Signed with: Stanford
Nivar’s development over the past three years has been steady. A gifted guard with a strong frame and rise on her jumper, she has gotten more aggressive offensively over the past year. She can lead the offense and get others going, or she can be the focal point for clutch buckets. Stanford is getting a versatile perimeter player.
F Maya Nnaji
Hopkins HS (Minn.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 9
Signed with: Arizona
Nnaji has a traditional power forward type of game. She is gifted in the back-to-the-basket game, as well as driving the ball from the high post and midpost areas. Her face-up game really sets her apart. She can stretch the defense and make reads to facilitate. Nnaji will bring a physical presence who can help in the paint to Arizona.
P Kyla Oldacre
William Mason HS (Ohio)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 25
Signed with: Miami
Oldacre’s timing and feel in the post really make her stand out. She has strong instincts in the paint and has the best back-to-the-basket game in her class, which leads to quality buckets. She is efficient when she gets the ball and reads the double-team well enough to keep teams honest. She improved her conditioning over the past year and it has paid major dividends. Miami is getting a complete post.
F/W Ayanna Patterson
Homestead HS (Ind.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 4
Signed with: UConn
Patterson arguably has the most jumping and leaping ability in the class. She has gone viral with two-handed dunks off of two feet. She is quick, fast and powerful. She can handle the ball like a guard, post up and knock down the jumper out to the 3. UConn is getting a player with some major potential next season.
F/W Justine Pissott
Red Bank Catholic HS (N.J.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 11
Signed with: Tennessee
Pissott has some serious range on her shot and is not shy to pull from deep. She has gone from simply a floor spacer to a player who can put the ball on the floor and create off the dribble. She can fit in a multitude of systems and schemes because of her overall skill and understanding of the game. She shows leadership intangibles and is also a very good passer. She brings a competitiveness and grit to Tennessee that Kellie Harper will love.
PG Kiki Rice
Sidwell Friends School (D.C.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 2
Signed with: UCLA
Rice is a 5-11, do-it-all guard who is considered to be the top guard in the class. Sidwell Friends is currently ranked the No. 1 high school team in the country. Rice is a two-time USA Basketball gold medalist who won at the 2021 U18 3×3 World Cup. She will bring a dynamic combo guard presence to a UCLA team that utilizes versatility within its offensive schemes.
F Grace VanSlooten
IMG Academy (Fla.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 13
Signed with: Oregon
VanSlooten is one of the most competitive players in the class. She brings a gritty blue-collar physicality to the game and leaves her mark by rebounding and with her defensive effort. Her overall skills offensively give her the ability to stretch the floor as well as facilitate. She joins fellow Oregon signee and Sports City U club teammate Chance Gray in the second-ranked recruiting class headed to Eugene.
F/P Ashlyn Watkins
Cardinal Newman School (S.C.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 12
Signed with: South Carolina
The talented Watkins has also gone viral with multiple dunks. She glides up and down the court smoothly, is one of the best rebounders in the class and also blocks shots regularly. Over her high school career, her touch and range have improved, and she has proved to be able to knock down the perimeter jumper. She brings the potential to be a lockdown defender with tremendous offensive upside to a loaded South Carolina roster.
G Ruby Whitehorn
Detroit Edison Public Academy (Minn.)
2022 espnW 100 ranking: 15
Signed with: Clemson
Whitehorn is one of the most gifted players with the ball in her hands in the class. No matter what opposing defenders throw at her, she seems to have a solution. She is a dynamic ball handler who can weave her way with her footwork to her spots to score. She is a bigger guard at 6-foot who can finish inside and knock down the 3 both off the catch and off the dribble. She brings an immense offensive talent to Clemson.
