5 women's college basketball players who had phenomenal high school careers ft. Paige Bueckers

There is some excellent talent spread out throughout the women's college basketball class of 2024–25. These athletes are now establishing themselves in the collegiate ranks after dominating their high school courts.

Players such as Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins and MiLaysia Fulwiley have had sensational high school careers and are replicating that during their college stints. Let's take a look at some college players who had stellar high school careers.

Top five women's college basketball players who had phenomenal high school careers

#1 Paige Bueckers

Paige Bueckers began her high school basketball career at Hopkins High School in Minnesota in 2016. She won multiple awards there, including the Gatorade Player of the Year during her sophomore year.

Considered one of the best players in Minnesota girls' high school basketball history, she averaged 21.4 points, 9.4 assists, 5.4 steals, and five rebounds per game, leading Hopkins High School to an undefeated season during her senior year.

#2 JuJu Watkins

JuJu Watkins went to Windward School in Los Angeles and averaged 21 points and nine rebounds per game as a freshman, leading the team to the regional final. As a sophomore, she averaged 27 points and 12 rebounds per game.

Watkins moved to the Los Angeles-based Sierra Canyon School as a junior, where she guided her team to a 30-2 record and the state championship in the Open Division. Watkins won the titles of Ms. Basketball and California Gatorade Player of the Year with an average of 25 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.

Averaging 27.3 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game as a senior, Watkins helped Sierra Canyon win the CIF Southern Section Open Division, finishing with a 31-1 record, and advancing to the regional championship. She was a five-star recruit and the top player in the 2023 class.

#3 Flau'jae Johnson

Flau'jae Johnson was a standout basketball player at Georgia's Sprayberry High School. She was named the Region 6-6A Player of the Year in her senior year and was the all-time leading scorer in the school's history.

Johnson's outstanding performance earned her the Most Valuable Player award at the Jordan Brand Classic, where she scored 27 points. She took part in the esteemed McDonald's All-American Game as well.

The LSU shooting guard was the only woman competing in the Iverson Classic. She also became the first female athlete to have her jersey retired by the high school.

#4 Hannah Hidalgo

Hannah Hidalgo played high school basketball at Paul VI High School in New Jersey. As a senior, Hidalgo led her team to the South Jersey Non-Public A final. She averaged 28.8 points, 7.3 steals, 6.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

Finishing as her school's all-time leading scorer with 2,135 points, she was named the Gatorade Player of the Year and Courier-Post Player of the Year for the third straight season. Hidalgo was a five-star recruit and eventually signed with Notre Dame over offers from Michigan, Duke, Ohio State, and UCF.

#5 MiLaysia Fulwiley

MiLaysia Fulwiley played for W. J. Keenan High School in Columbia, South Carolina. Her first experience of playing high school basketball came in the seventh grade in the playoffs, where she helped her team win the Class 2A state championship.

The South Carolina hooper won four state titles in six seasons and ended up as the school's all-time leading points scorer. She was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game during her senior year. Rated as a five-star recruit by ESPN, she committed to play for South Carolina.